Tea Leaves, Coffee Beans, and a Touch of Mint
by Biblia
Summary: The Festival is over, but the mind of the quietest HiME is anything but quiet. Yukino has Haruka back, but she still doesn't have all of Haruka, and doesn't believe she ever can. But Fujino Shizuru might have something else to say on the matter...
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: All things Mai-HiME and Mai-HiME-related are owned by Sunrise, and are only being used by myself in an effort to give praise to their fine work via imitation as the sincerest form of flattery (aka please don't sue me).

A few months after the HiMe Festival.

"YUUU-KIII-NO!?" A loud, boisterous voice rang out within the confines of the small room.

The girl in question looked up quickly, her glasses sliding down her nose.

"Ahh, er, yes Haruka-chan?" Yukino's mind raced, trying in vain to remember what it was that was taking place before her mind wandered once again too...

"Yukino, you…" Haruka trailed off, and her eyebrow began to twitch. Yukino was obviously not paying attention, she was lost in thought once more. Haruka exchanged a quick glance with the other woman in the room, trying to excuse her friend, before turning back to Yukino.

"Yukino! You're spading out again!" The golden-haired girl was finally forced to yell, bringing Yukino back to reality again.

"You mean spacing--" Yukino began automatically, but Haruka stomped her foot and leaned in closer, cutting her off.

"Honestly Yukino, what's wrong with you today? I've seen you more alert on late-hour cases than you have been this morning. It's not just that either, you've been slipping little by little for the past few months." Her voice softened, at least to Yukino's experienced ears, "What's bothering you Yukino? Is there some matter in which you could require my assistance, anybody you need me to deal with?" She stood, frowning, with her hands on her hips, looking expectantly at her friend.

Yukino ran a hand through her short auburn hair, blushing, " Ah, no. It's nothing. Sorry, Haruka-chan, my mind just seems prone to wander today."

Haruka shook her head in exasperation, "Well try to keep it here with me, okay? Just for a little longer. We can talk about this later."

Yukino nodded, turning back to her laptop and trying to focus. Haruka nodded once, satisfied, before turning back to her daily rant with Shizuru about the quality of morals and decency among the students. _If only she knew, if only I could tell her… _Keeping her mind with Haruka was exactly what the problem was, she was finding it exceptionally difficult to keep her mind on anything else. She shook that thought, trying to look normal, Yukino didn't want to make Haruka worry about her...

Yukino tried to concentrate on what she was doing, but as Haruka turned around, Yukino found her eyes being drawn to her once again. Running up her toned, athletic form until it reached the pinnacle at her cascade of shiny, golden hair. This time she couldn't even manage the small decency of looking away, her eyes stubbornly remained fix on the object of her love. Yukino knew that Haruka was speaking again, and she tried to listen, but she couldn't focus, couldn't make out the words. Her mind was in another place now, drifting through thoughts that had been haunting her for the past few months.

Just on the other side of those waves of hair was Haruka's face, with her brilliant violet eyes. Eyes that were usually stern and commanding, hard as stone and just as unyielding, but eyes that Yukino had seen a different side of. Yukino had seen those eyes soften, seen them turn so beautiful and compassionate that it took her breath away. Those eyes were windows to the soul of the clearest kind. You never had to wonder with Haruka, you knew the truth of her when you looked into her eyes. Yukino loved those eyes, every time she saw them these days she wanted to yell, to take Haruka into her arms and hold her and never let go. To look deep into them and confess everything, everything she felt, everything she wanted, everything she needed, and to see the same things echoed in those crystal clear eyes… but those same eyes sere what kept stopping her. Those eyes displayed the truth of Haruka's heart for all the world to see, and Yukino had seen the painful truth of Haruka's feelings that night long ago…

Yukino felt her breath quicken, she needed to get out of that room. She knew that if she saw those eyes, if she looked into them at this time, no matter what she had seen before she wouldn't be able to stop herself from realizing her desires. She wasn't sure she wanted to stop herself, but she did know that she couldn't face Haruka here, not now, not like this. She had seen those eyes that night, they weren't ready, and they probably never would be.

Yukino jumped up, attracting the eyes of the other two in the room. "Haruka-chan, I don't feel well, I need to go. Pardon, President Fujino." After a hasty bow to them both, she started quickly towards the door. Haruka stood dumbfounded, staring after Yukino. Too late, she found her voice and followed her friend.

"Yukino, wha-?"

But by the time she made it into the hall, Yukino was already out of sight.

"Suzushiro-san?" Came a soft, clear voice from behind her. Haruka quickly turned around to see a pair of concerned eyes looking into her own, and tried to compose herself.

"I… yes! I was saying that something needs to be done about, um..." Try as she might, Haruka couldn't remember what she had been speaking of… _What happened Yukino? _Haruka shook that thought, Yukino was fine, and she needed to focus on what she was doing. She turned back to the president, preparing to talk about something, anything to restore the discussions, but the President had other plans.

"Yes, yes, Suzushiro-san, I think you've covered everything for today quite well, rest assured I will look into the matter." Shizuru used this opportunity to cut the meeting short, "Now, why don't you go see what is bothering Kikukawa-san, yes? She seemed quite distressed." Shizuru took the initiative, rising from her seat to guide Haruka towards the door.

"Ah, yes, Fujino-Kaichou. I will go check the nurses office then, good day." _My partner's more important than anything I had to say to that woman anyway_. Haruka blinked, wondering where that thought had come from, but shook it off. She needed Yukino at one-hundred-percent to do her job, that was all. Meetings were just talk, Suzushiro Haruka was a person of action, and she was better at acting with her partner, that was all. Haruka started quickly down the hall, she now had a focus and, confused or not, nothing stopped Haruka when she had something she needed to do. Shizuru stepped out of the room as well, watching Haruka stalk down the hall and around the corner, while a little suspicion took root in her mind and a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. Her voice echoed softly into the empty hall.

"Kikukawa-san, you may come out now." Her request was rewarded with a small yelp from the class next door, and Yukino popping her head out into the hall, blushing and rubbing her hair. While Yukino hurriedly tried to think of a plausible explanation for her behavior, Shizuru excused her from this by motioning for them to return to the council room. Yukino couldn't figure out how Shizuru had known she was there, but gave it only a moments thought before following reluctantly, thinking that she was about to be reprimanded for "ditching" a meeting. Shizuru calmly sat, poured two cups of tea, and motioned for Yukino to follow suit. Yukino did so, but warily, not knowing what was going to happen now, or why she was being given tea if this was a punishment. A devious little thought wormed its way into her mind. Thinking about Shizuru's own particular romantic life, Yukino began hoping that this _was _a punishment. Surely she hadn't been so noticeable about anything that Shizuru felt the need for--

"So, Kikukawa-san, just how long has it been?"

Yukino winced and a flush rose to her face. _So much for that hope. How am I going to get out of this?_ The first option was easy, she tried to play it off innocently, feigning ignorance.

"Oh, what do you mean Miss President?" She finally asked lamely. Shizuru didn't answer, she just sipped her tea and kept her knowing gaze locked on Yukino. Yukino, to her credit, held out for a few moments, but then she lost all will to maintain _that _woeful deception. Her shoulders sagged, and she lowered her head. After a few more silent seconds passed, Shizuru heard a soft voice murmur out from underneath a veil of tousled hair.

"As long as I can remember. It seems as though I've always felt this way, even when I was too young to know exactly what these feelings were." Yukino wasn't quite ready to give up yet. She hoped that her despairing disposition and the level of emotion she put into that "confession" would be enough to satisfy whatever curiosity the woman was exercising.

"Kikukawa-san, not to bring up bad memories, but we both have known that for a long time. I was referring to this new habit of yours. I don't seem to recall your staring so longingly, and so obviously, after Suzushiro-san before."

Yukino winced, she hadn't thought it was that obvious. Though, given Shizuru's history, perhaps it was only so obvious to her. Yukino recalled a voice, like a ghost from the past: "Aren't you in the same situation?". Yukino hadn't thought so, not then,. The thought had repelled her, she was not like Shizuru, she would never do such things as she had witnessed the other woman do then. But now… now she was starting to realize just how Shizuru could have been driven to such acts of desperation. It pained her to admit it, but if anyone could understand her, it would be Shizuru.

_NO! I don't want that… I don't want her understanding, or her acceptance, or anything!_. Admitting that Shizuru could understand her feelings would mean that those feelings were the same as those Shizuru felt. Deep down, feeling that her love was somehow more pure than Shizuru's had been all that kept her from losing hope. As if somehow, what Haruka had said that night didn't apply, because this love was better, this love was not disgusting or repelling or any of those other things Haruka thought... _but that's just a lie, and I know it_. A lie she had believed for so long that admitting it, even only to herself, was almost more painful than she could bear. Her feelings were no more pure or heartfelt than Shizuru's had been, and Haruka would never accept them. She may as well abandon her hope, Haruka would never be hers, except in her dreams.

Yukino was shocked to hear such things, even if they were her own thoughts. With one simple question, a question showing her accursed understanding of Yukino's feelings, Shizuru had managed to collapse that fragile little bubble of hope. Oddly, as she prepared to resign herself to this fate, she felt a sense of, not peace, but at least of stillness, of calmness, of death. _What am I thinking of? _Just a few minutes ago Yukino knew she had been relatively fine, not happy, but not this... defeated. What was causing this? What was making her think of these things, why couldn't she just excuse herself and leave, what was keeping her here?

Shizuru looked on, outwardly as calm as ever, but she was starting to worry about the girl. _It was only a little question, right? _But Yukino looked as though she were suffering. She looked… looked like she had when she confronted Shizuru, when she had finally had to speak up, to deal with her thoughts and feelings…Shizuru was just starting to wonder what she could have begun here, when Yukino continued.

"I didn't before. I could control myself. Just being around her was enough. Just being with her every day without fail, the thought of her _not _being there never crossed my mind. Back then I could at least tell myself: 'When the time's right, you can tell her, there's no hurry.' The right time never came, but it didn't matter. At least I could be with her, and nothing would ever take her away. Then the festival came." Yukino's hazel eyes began to shine with tears as she was taken back to that time, and started to relive every agonizing moment. She still didn't know why she was saying these things, but she couldn't seem to stop.

"Do you remember the night that we were told what it truly was we put on the line when we accepted our power? Did you feel the same pain, like a knife through your heart? The only reason I had accepted Diana in the first place was to protect Haruka-chan, and now she was in even greater danger because of it."

Shizuru nodded, she remembered too. She remembered thinking about Natsuki, about her vow to never let anyone harm her. That vow that had led her to such horrifying acts, acts she thought would prove her love to Natsuki, but that went against what her love stood for . _That, at least, was one pain Yukino never experienced_. Yukino had not had so obsessive a love that it led her to abandon all values and goodness in trying to save her loved one, in trying to keep that love all to herself… Yukino never had to face that part of herself.

"I remember when I almost let my fear get the better of me. I had Diana poised one night, ready to attack Mai-san during the festival, ready to do the unforgivable for my love, to do what I thought I had to do to protect her. The only thing that stayed my hand was Haruka-chan's voice in my heart, reminding me of a promise I had made to her... I had a choice, I could forsake everything she held dear, or I could forsake her. I did the latter… it tore my heart, but it was what Haruka-chan would have wanted."

Yukino still couldn't stop, every thought that had ran through her mind during the Festival and in the time after now came pouring out. She needed someone to understand, needed it more than anything… she used to have something else she wanted this badly, but she had now given up on that…

Shizuru continued to sit, still outwardly calm, but once again inside was another matter. She was dealing with a torrent of her own emotions. She was not used to being wrong, she had thought Yukino was so much more innocent in her connection with Suzushiro-san, Shizuru had not thought Yukino had ever faced that difficult choice. For sure, Shizuru knew that they had made different decisions when faced with that choice, but that common experience remained between them.

Shizuru felt a new respect for Yukino, for making the choice her loved one would have wanted, despite the pain it brought. That was something Shizuru had never experienced. She tried to imagine what it would have been like, deciding to do what was right and good, even if it meant giving up Natsuki. Shizuru had gone through this time thinking only of how she had suffered during that time, for a love she thought could never be, and for the things she had done because of it, but now she started to realize that she held much more in common with Yukino than she had ever thought possible. Their pain, while different in source and experience, was still the same.

This little session was not turning out as planned. She had thought that it would be just a little fun, watching Yukino try to fumble through explaining herself, perhaps offering some friendly advice. This, however, was quickly becoming just as difficult for her to hear as it was for the other girl to speak.

"You said you didn't want to bring up painful memories, but I think you know what comes next."

_And now we come to this. _The one memory that apparently still haunted them both. Shizuru knew very well what came next, as it was the precise "painful memory" she had wished to avoid.

"The night Haruka-chan and I traveled to where you had secreted yourself and Kuga-san. I don't know what I expected to happen there, I thought that maybe Haruka could bully you into returning, I never meant what happened next."

Yukino looked up for the first time since she had begun speaking. With eyes now fully streaming tears down her face, she nevertheless managed to look Shizuru in the eye with an unwavering gaze. Shizuru braced herself, thinking that she would now be on the receiving end Yukino's fury, a fury that surely had been building power for all this time.

"I… I'm sorry for that night. I said things that night that I have since wished I could take back. I understand now how you could have done those things. I won't lie now and say that I can accept them, but I do now understand. What _you _said that night was also true, I just wasn't able to accept it then…"

Shizuru reeled, her heart breaking for this girl in front of her. Pure hatred would have been easier to take than this tear-stained apology. _Much easier_. Shizuru knew she couldn't maintain her silent demeanor any longer, she had to say something.

"Kikukawa-san, please, don't. If you want to compare sins with me today, I will win." Shizuru did her best to smile, but even her best wasn't enough to keep her voice from cracking with emotion, "Let's just accept that we both said and did things then that we regret, and move on." _Please, I don't know if I can take any more of that._

Yukino nodded her assent, that was probably best, and tried to continue with what was to be the most difficult memory, for both of them, "I remember it all after that, seeing Haruka die in front of me, die because of me, because of what I felt for her.…" Yukino started to lose what little composure she had maintained. "All I could think about was that I would never get to tell her now- she would never know. I would never see those wonderful eyes again, never feel that bright smile light up my day, never feel my hand in hers again, never…"

Yukino broke into deep, wracking sobs as she finally spoke aloud what she had been screaming in her heart for all this time. With one simple question, Shizuru had cracked the dam that had held her feelings in check, and there was nothing that Yukino could do to stem the tide now. This was her worst fear she was voicing, that she would lose Haruka again. Even now, after she had been granted a second chance, and had full knowledge that it was her last one, she hadn't been able to tell Haruka how she felt. She hated herself and what she felt was her cowardice every day for it, but couldn't look past what she had seen in Haruka's eyes that night, what she had heard in Haruka's voice.

Shizuru felt tears seep into her eyes now, but she dabbed them away before they could be seen. They both had that night in common as one of the worst experiences of their lives. In dealing with her own demons, Shizuru realized she had never truly considered what Yukino had gone through that night, and now was feeling every day's worth of that guilt. She remembered that night as the time her own love had rejected her, with that look of shock and revulsion on her face. Though Shizuru and Natsuki had long ago forgiven each other their past transgressions, the memory of that rejection, and the pain it caused, was still vivid in her mind. Looking at Yukino, Shizuru couldn't believe the depths of strength this girl had. Though perhaps not as drastically nor as directly as Shizuru, Yukino had also experienced the rejection of her love that night. "To indulge in such action between females… how disgusting." Haruka's voice floated from the past, punctuating her newfound guilt. At the time Shizuru had only thought of the insult to Natsuki that represented, but now…

_Suzushiro-san was right, when she said I only thought of myself_, Shizuru thought bitterly. When Shizuru thought about it, Yukino had gone through at least as much, if not more than, she had herself that night. They both had dealt with rejection, and they both had lost their loves that night. _At least I was able to follow my love into oblivion, Yukino had gone on, and suffered_. She continued to suffer now as well, even more than Shizuru had before the festival.

Shizuru's heart went out to Yukino, and she did something she had definitely not planned on. She arose, moving around the table and sitting down next to Yukino, catching her in an embrace. Yukino's sobs strengthened anew at this display of compassion and understanding, the likes of which she would never have expected from this woman, and she buried her head in Shizuru's shoulder. Shizuru felt another fresh stab of guilt at this, again wishing that Yukino had decided to hate her instead, _surely _it would have been less painful. She thought about that night, and what she had done. Nothing could free her from that guilt now. She had directly caused the pain of this girl, in her misguided attempt to prove her love to Natsuki., and she hadn't done anything at all to make up for it. Shizuru felt an unfamiliar emotion well up in her soul: Shame.

Shame wasn't entirely new to Shizuru, but even when she had felt it before, it had been rooted by selfishness. She had felt shame for things she had done that hurt her most precious one, sure, but even that was colored with self-interest. Everything she had thought about for so long revolved around her and her love, she hadn't spared a thought for anything or anyone else, until Yukino had come along and shattered that narrow perception of reality. She wrapped her arms tighter around Yukino, and let herself weep as well, for both of them.

After a while, Yukino ran out of tears, and her breath came in long, ragged gasps. They sat like this for a few minutes, understanding one another without a word between them, and taking comfort in the silence.

Shizuru was the one to break the tranquility. Quickly wiping away her own tears, so Yukino wouldn't see them, she gently cupped Yukino's chin in her hand and raised Yukino's red, shining eyes to her own.

"First of all, let's get one thing out of the way. You are not a coward." Shizuru said gently. Yukino's eyes widened is surprise. Once again Shizuru had looked past what Yukino had presented on the surface, and managed to touch on the most painful reality behind it.

"But, Fujino-"

"No, just listen. Do you think I'm a coward?"

Yukino's eyes widened again, this time in shock, "No! Why would I think-" But Shizuru cut her off again.

"You know what it took for me to tell Natsuki how I felt, right?" Yukino managed a nod, the memory very fresh at this point, "I wasn't able to do that by choice any more than you've been able too, and managed to do much more cowardly things than you have before she finally knew."

Yukino nodded again, still not entirely convinced. In her mind, Shizuru had still been able to tell Natsuki how she felt, the circumstances didn't matter. She might have thought many unflattering things of Shizuru at one time, but cowardice had never been one of them. If this were true, if she was not the coward she felt she was, than why had the other woman managed her happy ending while Yukino continued to wallow in self-pity? She didn't want to discuss this any more though, so she didn't argue.

"Oh, and let's not go to 'Fujino' and 'Miss President' now." Shizuru continued, "Don't we know each other well enough not to be so formal? Especially after today?" She finished kindly. She was about to add more, but this time it was Yukino's turn to interrupt.

"Okay then, Shizuru...san," This was really more comfortable, they definitely knew each other well enough by now that the formality had been getting uncomfortable for both of them. "But I want to say something before you continue. One more thing about that night. Just in case you're still harboring any thoughts about it, just know that I don't blame you for anything. Let's do as you said, and just recognize that we both did things we regret now, and leave the past alone." Again, Shizuru found herself wishing that Yukino had decided to hate her. She would rather have opened herself freely to Yukino's blows than to her forgiveness. Shaking herself from these thoughts, Shizuru put on a smile to reassure the girl beside her.

"Well then, let's do that, and focus on what is to come." Shizuru knew she wouldn't be able to forget, not just like that, but she didn't want to distress Yukino anymore than she already was, or was going to be soon.

Yukino _was _startled. _What is to come? We aren't done yet?_ She'd poured her soul out for Shizuru to see, every secret gone, but still the woman wanted more? Yukino sighed, resigning herself to whatever came next, she had no more secrets now.

"Does Suzushiro-san even suspect you may feel this way?"

Yukino didn't need to think to answer this, "No Shizuru-san, she doesn't suspect anything. She's always so wrapped up in some mission or another, always trying to do what's right, never taking a thought for herself or her own life. If there's anyone she thinks of when she's like that, it's you."

Yukino smiled for the first time that day, a shaky smile still mixed with the remnant of tears, but a smile nonetheless, as she thought of the honesty and drive that were so much a part of what she loved about her Haruka-chan. Her smile faltered as she thought that those same qualities were also what would never allow Haruka to know about that love. The honesty, which let Yukino know without a doubt Haruka's position on such a possibility, and the drive, which would never allow Haruka to realize on her own what Yukino felt. It was truly a cruel irony, a sadistic twist of fate that had allowed such a love to come about.

"Fuji...Shizuru-san?" Yukino said quizzically, a confused look on her face, the other woman was actually chuckling, looking amused at this.

"Kikukawa-san, I think you underestimate how Suzushiro-san feels about you. You say she thinks only of me when she is lost in her righteous causes, but I think you mean more to her than either of you know. You are very precious to her, why do you think she tries so very hard to protect you? Who was in her thoughts as she knew she was dying? Whose name was last on her lips? Whether you believe me or not is irrelevant now, though I do hope you'll consider it." Shizuru could see the disbelief she spoke of echoed in Yukino's eyes, so she continued, "If that's the way you want it then… If you believe that work is a part of the problem with Suzushiro-san and yourself, then I shall just have to give her some time off." Yukino panicked then, thinking of how Haruka would react to such news.

"No Miss President! There's no reason for her to get a vacation, what if she was to suspect... well, she wouldn't. But she would never accept one anyway, you know that. She thinks the school would fall apart without her here. No matter you and your theories about her 'true' heart, she still has her focus on matching you and your ability. You know that, to do this would be a slap in the face, like saying she's useless and not needed. You can't do that to her. You don't have to do this just for me, I can..." She trailed off, having no idea what it was she could do. She had already given up any hope anyway. The only thing that mattered now was to keep Haruka happy, and such a move by Shizuru would not help that cause.

Shizuru smiled that small, knowing smile once again, "You think I don't know this about Suzushiro-san? You just leave such things to me. Things have been fairly calm around here, I'm sure I can come up with something satisfactory."

Yukino still had her doubts, and was about to voice them when she was stopped by Shizuru's finger on her lips. "You just leave everything to me." Shizuru repeated, that small smile continuing to play about her lips. She stood, helping Yukino to rise as well, before trying to walk her towards the door. Uncharacteristically, Yukino refused to be moved.

"Shizuru-san, look. I thank you for what you are attempting to do, but I'm not trying any more. Haruka-chan and I will never happen, and you know it. You heard her that night." It had hurt to admit it to herself, and now even more so to give it voice, but she thought it was the right thing to do.

"Now now, Kikukawa-san, remember how Natsuki felt before? People change, or perhaps they say things they may not truly mean, in the heat of anger. Suzushiro-san said many things that night that seem to have been forgiven now, or at least forgotten. She accepted my return to my office, she seems to tolerate mine and Natsuki's relationship now, she doesn't even seem to harbor any negative feelings about her 'death'.

Suzushiro-san may be too proud to voice such things, but even her stubborn heart is capable of change, just not her tongue."

Yukino knew that much was true, Haruka had indeed come to accept such things with a poise that sharply contradicted the outrage she had displayed previously. Yukino was tired of hope though, and didn't want to let any of it in again. She shook her head, "Shizuru-san, when was the last time Haruka-chan admitted she was wrong, about anything? Everything she says, she means. I've given up, just let it be."

Now it was Shizuru's turn to be stubborn, "Kikukawa-san, you can't give up, just like that. You spoke to me of a choice you made before. You chose to hold dear the values that Suzushiro-san held dear, even if it meant you had to give up Suzushiro-san. Have you now decided now to do both, to wallow in self-loathing for the rest of your life? Is this what you think Suzushiro-san would expect of you? You spoke of regrets, but those will be nothing compared to what you will feel later if you walk away now." Shizuru moved away from Yukino, stepping towards the door and opening it wide, challenging Yukino to step through.

Yukino didn't want to listen, agonizing as it had been she thought she had found some peace in her perceived failure, and she didn't want to give that up. In her mind she wanted to go out the door, to leave and let any regrets come as they would. Her heart though, saw the truth in what Shizuru said. _Haruka never gave up, ever, no matter what the opposition. _Faced with tanks, armed soldiers, Kiyohime, even when facing her own death, she had never backed down, never quit. Yukino knew that if she truly loved Haruka, she could do no less. Even if she believed her love was impossible to fulfill, this realization was still strong enough to keep her legs still, to keep her from walking out that door, and that was all Shizuru needed to see. She walked back over to Yukino and stepped close, meeting her eyes once more, "You've made the right choice, again. Know this though: I can only help give you the opportunity to tell her, the decision ultimately rests with you alone. If you truly feel that giving up is your only option, that option will still be available." _I just hope you can find the strength I know you have when the time comes._

"Thank you, Shizuru-san. No matter what happens, I am grateful to you for everything you've done for me today. I won't forget it." Yukino still thought that giving up was her best course, but there was no reason to cause Shizuru undue concern. If the woman wanted to try and change Haruka-chan, let her try… maybe then she would understand.

_But it is I who will be repaying a debt with my actions, you don't owe me anything, not after what I've done_. Shizuru felt the best she could do was help Yukino find the same happiness she and Natsuki now enjoyed, that kind of happiness made all the suffering in the world better… Shizuru forced her mind onto more practical matters, further introspection could come later, they both surely had certainly enjoyed their fill of it today. Besides, she had already kept Yukino far longer than she had expected.

"Tokiha Mai-san's dormitory room is on the way to your own, correct?" Shizuru asked suddenly.

"Yes, Shizuru-san, why?" Yukino replied, confused, wondering why this had come up all of a sudden, and what it could possibly pertain to. Shizuru nodded, satisfied, before explaining the matter.

"Then as far as Suzushiro-san knows, you felt faint and stopped there to rest, that is why she was unable to locate you at either your dormitory, or at the nurse's office. I will explain this to Tokiha-san. Do not worry, I shall be discreet."

"Thank-you, Shizuru-san." Yukino said, relieved, she hadn't even thought of that.

"Now then, It wouldn't do to make Suzushiro-san to worry any longer." Shizuru ushered her out the door with a warm, parting smile.

"Oh, yes. Thank you again." Yukino said with a small bow before starting down the hallway.

As Yukino walked down the hall she tried to wrap her mind around what she had just experienced. It seemed unreal that so short a time ago she had been in the middle of a routine meeting with the school president. So much had changed in that short time. Despite the pain that had just been relived so recently, Yukino she felt strangely lighter than she had in a very long time. She knew nothing had been resolved yet, and likely never would be, no matter what Shizuru in her infinite optimism believed, but she felt better just for letting her love fly free for a while, for letting it out of that little box next to her heart. Later she would turn her thoughts to Shizuru's mysterious promise, and what it might mean for her, but for now the world was somehow good again, and she needed to let Haruka-chan know she was okay. A smile slowly formed on her lips as she thought of the scolding she was most likely going to receive, and she quickened her step.

Shizuru, on the other hand, stood and watched Yukino go down the hall, the same as she had watched Haruka. Shizuru had a smile on her face as well, that little half-smile that she enjoyed wearing so much. Shizuru thought about them both. Though an outsider would have seen nothing in common with Haruka's determined marching and Yukino's soft, demure footsteps, Shizuru could see that they were identical in intent. They both had only one thought walking down that hall: each other. This would be a great way to repay the debt she owed Yukino, no matter that Yukino thought there was no debt, and no matter that Yukino still thought that there was no hope for Suzushiro-san. Shizuru wasn't ready to give up so easily, and she somehow knew that, despite what she had said, Yukino wouldn't be able give up either, not ever.

She allowed a full smile to grace her face suddenly. She couldn't fool herself entirely, she knew that her newfound guilt was not all that pushed her to help Yukino. Call it a bad habit, but Shizuru would enjoy tricking Suzushiro-san again, just like old times. If all went well, this would be the last time too, so Shizuru was determined to make it a memorable one. Softly chuckling to herself, Shizuru went back into the room to begin the preparations.


	2. Chapter 2

BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM!

A pair of piercing green eyes snapped open, then narrowed in annoyance. _Who the hell could that be? _Shaking the remnants of sleep from her head, Yuuki Nao forced herself out of her bed and made her way angrily toward the door. She grabbed the knob and cracked the door open, yelling to whoever it was,

"Look, what the hell is your problem? You trying to knock down my door, idiot? Get lost."

Unfortunately for Nao, this was the wrong answer to give the woman outside. She soon found herself sprawled on the floor as the door was roughly forced open and an irate Suzushiro Haruka entered. After she failed to find Yukino at either their shared dormitory or at the nurse's office, Haruka had decided to take a more proactive approach to finding her partner than merely waiting, and no sassy little redhead was going to brush her off like that now. Yukino… Haruka was still unsure exactly what had occurred before. Yukino had just… left. This was something Haruka had never dealt with before, ever since they had met as children it seemed Yukino had almost always been beside her, if given a choice in the matter. To have her just up and leave…. Haruka didn't know what had happened, or where Yukino was, but she knew she had to find her and make sure she was okay.

"Yuuki Nao-san, I have some questions for you. Executive business." Haruka folded her arms, waiting impatiently for Nao to get off the floor.

"Are you crazy? Get out of my room! I haven't done anything!" Nao rose, and tried to push Haruka out the herself, for all the good it did her. Haruka could be unyielding in more than her morals, and was rapidly losing what patience she had held onto. She grabbed Nao by the front of the shirt and pushed her back a few steps.

"I seriously doubt that, student, given your history. But I'm not here for you, today, I'm looking for Yukino." Nao was unnerved by the woman's behavior, even Haruka wasn't usually this forceful, but covered her unease with a wicked grin and her usual attitude; a mean little thought sparked a scathing response.

"What's the matter Suzushiro? Your favorite little pet run off? I'm not surprised, given how you treat her." Nao's derisive laugh drilled into Haruka's skull.

"I would protect Yukino with my life!" Haruka shouted furiously, "What do you mean how I-, no. I'm not going to play your little games, you won't bait me this day." She finished haughtily, thinking she had outsmarted the girl, "Have you seen Yukino?" Haruka finished, advancing a step towards Nao to add emphasis to her words and discourage further back-talk. Nao turned away, flipping her hand impudently towards the woman looming towards her. Apparently Haruka was even more hard-headed that she had suspected, if she didn't know what Nao had been not-so-subtly hinting at. Nao hadn't seen Yukino though, and felt no reason to hide the fact. She had a quick thought, one she thought was sure to send Haruka on her way just a bit quicker.

"I've been in here asleep all day, resting from my… activities last night. Would you like to hear about them, Suzushiro?" She asked, putting on an innocent look. This was an outright lie, of course, as Nao had never been truly involved in any such "activities". Haruka, however, like most of the students, tended to believe the popular rumors regarding the girl's late-night antics. Not that Nao did much to quell such suspicions; she still found herself enjoying the night life more than students were strictly supposed to, even if that no longer included terrifying and robbing every male she could lay her claws on. Old habits were hard to drop. Besides, such a reputation had come in handy when she wished to scare off those who imagined themselves as _so _much more moral than herself.

Haruka snorted, "I'm not Yukariko-san, and you won't scare me with your unwholesome lifestyle, Yuuki. Speaking of her, what does she think about your continuing these activities? Aren't you supposed to be under her tutelage now?" Haruka bit her tongue, realizing that Nao had indeed managed to bait her, despite her efforts. Nao flashed that wicked grin once more, starting to enjoy her little fabrication, and decided to see how far she could push the other woman.

"Well, according to Yukariko, I must confess _all _of my sins before they can be forgiven, and I still haven't been able to do that,. The priests can only take so much every day. I figure that as long as I'm going to be getting forgiveness anyway, I might as well get plenty of sinning done in the meantime. Of course, that just gives me more sins to confess, but that's not my fault, I _would _confess them all at one time, if anybody would let me." She put that fake innocent look on her face again, before laughing her wicked laugh once more. Just being around this girl was harshly grating on Haruka's nerves, and it wasn't helping her find Yukino. She made a decision to wrap this up quickly, not realizing this was exactly what Nao wanted.

"If such matters were under my jurisdiction…. But that doesn't matter right now. So you say you haven't seen Yukino today." Haruka tapped her foot impatiently, "Do you at least perhaps know someone who might have been more alert today, and of more use than yourself?"

"Why don't you go talk to goody little Mai next door, and leave me alone. You can bet that little miss proper behavior didn't stay out last night."

"Thank you for your assistance, student." Haruka said stiffly. She would have to have a talk about this little tart with Yukariko, but had more important things to do now. She stalked towards the door, Nao already forgotten.

Nao rolled her eyes. Finally, that damn woman was gone, now she could-

BANG!

Nao winced as Haruka slammed the door hard enough to shake a screw loose from one of the hinges. She hissed in annoyance, now she had a headache too. She walked back over too her bed and fell down face first. She needed to be at the church soon, and wanted to catch up on her sleep, redemption was a tiring business.

Meanwhile, Haruka was crossing over toward Mai's and Mikoto's dorm. She knocked a bit more softly this time, but still hard enough to demand the immediate attention of the occupants. Haruka heard the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps, and then the door opened, Mai popping her head out.

"What's the idea, banging on a door like…" Her voice faded as she realized who it was, "Suzushiro-san? What's wrong?" She looked about, and wondered where Yukino was. They were rarely seen without the other nearby.

"Tokiha-san, I wanted to know if-" She was cut off by the sudden sound of Mai's cell phone. Mai gave Haruka a quick apologetic glance before answering her phone.

"Hello, Mai speaking. Kai-, what? Okay, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, er… no problem. I think I deserve an explanation for this later though… No, not maybe. I'll be there later, I have to go now," Mai put up her phone, "Honestly, I can't believe-" She cut herself short as she remembered her guest standing impatiently at the door. "Oh, yes, sorry Suzushiro-san. I guess you're here about Yukino-chan?" Mai said, trying to make it sound as if she was remembering something from earlier.

"Yes! Do you know something Tokiha-san?" Haruka eagerly forced her way into the room, staring piercingly at Mai, "Have you seen her recently?" Mai was taken aback. She had seen Haruka when she got into her righteous moods before, but she couldn't recall ever seeing her this feverishly energetic before. She debated telling her the truth of Shizuru's phone call, thinking that this looked like trouble, but she decided to trust the student council president a little further.

"Oh, yes. She stopped here a while ago looking slightly ill, and said she felt faint, so I let her lie down for a while. She left a time ago, looking better. You must have just missed her on your way over." Mai repeated the story Shizuru had told her, hoping that it didn't sound too phony. Haruka let out a sigh of relief, composing herself.

"So Yukino is alright then. Thank you, Tokiha-san. I hope it wasn't any trouble."

Mai forced a smile, "No trouble at all, Suzushiro-san. Mikoto was happy to see her. She should have arrived back at the dorm by now, you can probably find her there." Mai turned to go inside, but stopped, something somewhat odd occurring to her, "Eh, Suzushiro-san, If you were so worried, why didn't you just call Yukino-san? She does have a cell phone." Haruka grimaced and sighed in exasperation.

"I know that, Tokiha-san. She left it in the council room along with her laptop." Again she was reminded of how odd Yukino's sudden departure had been. Besides other things, Yukino was _never _so careless as to leave her computer and cell phone lying around just anywhere.

"Oh, okay then." Mai said, surprised. She knew how deliberate and careful Yukino was as well. This was sounding more and more unusual, not to mention suspicious, by the second. Shizuru had better have a good explanation ready. Shaking her head, she went inside, closing the door behind her.

Haruka started back towards the dorm room she and Yukino shared, feeling much more at ease. _Yukino is okay_. Haruka didn't even want to think about anything harming Yukino, they were partners, and it was Haruka's responsibility to protect her. She quickened her pace with that thought, wanting to make sure she didn't miss Yukino again. She needn't have worried though, as Yukino was just arriving when Haruka reached their room.

"Yukino, there you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." Haruka looked the girl up and down, thinking something was still wrong. Yukino looked shaken, disturbed by something. It was possible that this was caused by her sudden illness, but given her other recent behavior, Haruka doubted it. "Are you sure that you're okay? You left so quickly, and look like something's still bothering you. What happened?" Yukino averted her gaze, she hadn't been looking forward to this part. She hoped that she looked sick, as she was trying to, rather that guilty, which was how she felt.

"Yes, Haruka-chan, I'm okay. I just didn't feel well, and thought I might be sick. Mai-san kindly let me stop at her room for a while, when I wasn't sure I could make it back here. I didn't mean to make you worry." Yukino's voice was steady, but she still seemed… off, distracted by something, at least to Haruka's mind.

Yukino's gaze remained averted, unable to look Haruka squarely while breaking the promise she had made to Haruka long ago. Haruka looked searchingly at her friend for a moment longer, but wasn't able to pin down what was causing her unease, and so moved on to something else that had occurred to her.

"Hey, Yukino." The other girl looked up questioningly, "According to Tokiha-san, that was quite a while ago, why are you only now getting back here?" Haruka frowned, she needed to make sure nothing was wrong with Yukino, and inconsistencies like this worried her. She didn't have to be concerned though, as Yukino answered readily enough.

"Oh, that. I went to the nurse's afterwards, to make sure it was nothing serious. I was told it was likely something I had eaten, and since I felt all right now she didn't think I needed anything but rest. We must have just missed one another in our trips." More lies, Yukino thought. What was even worse was how easily they were springing to her lips. She certainly didn't want this to become a habit.

"Okay then, as long as you're alright. Oh, and Yukino, I almost forgot, your things are still in the council room." Yukino almost panicked, her heart pumping faster, before she realized Haruka meant during her first, not her second, departure from the council room. Haruka continued, oblivious to Yukino's reaction, "We need to go back and get them. Actually, do you want to stay here and rest? I can go get them for you." Yukino smiled gratefully at Haruka's concern, but shook her head.

"Thank you, Haruka-chan, but I feel well enough to go retrieve them. Don't worry about me." Haruka wouldn't be dissuaded that easily, however, and was determined to at least accompany Yukino back, in case she should have some form of relapse. So together, they headed back to the council room, side by side. Haruka abandoned her usual leading position, wanting to keep her eye on her comrade. As they were arriving, the council President was just exiting the room. She glanced up at the pair heading towards her, and smiled warmly.

"Greetings Suzushiro-san, Kikukawa-san. What brings you back here?" She asked smoothly.

"Ah, Shizuru-san, I left my things in the room. Can you open the door so I can get them please?" Yukino felt odd, talking to Shizuru now as if nothing had happened. Shizuru seemed to be taking everything is stride though, so Yukino felt a bit more confident.

"Of course, Kikukawa-san, just let me unlock the door." Shizuru turned toward this task, but was stopped by Haruka's voice,

"Working late, eh, President? Anything you need me to do?" Haruka tried to sound officious, though inside she was rather pleased, thinking that Shizuru had finally run into some problem that required actual effort on her part to fix.

"Yes, Suzushiro-san, I was working late, but it's a personal problem. Nothing I want you to concern yourself with, it's actually rather embarrassing. Thank you for your offer though, I'll keep it in mind." She finished unlocking the door.

"There we are, go and get your things." Shizuru held the door open and moved to the side, motioning Yukino in. Yukino hurried inside, grabbed her laptop and phone, and quickly exited.

"Thank you, Shizuru-san. We'll see you tomorrow then." Yukino gave a quick bow, before hurrying back over to Haruka's side.

"Goodbye Suzushiro-san, Kikukawa-san. Until then." Shizuru locked the door once more and walked down the hall, opposite the way the other two had come. Haruka managed to wait until Shizuru had gone out of earshot, then had to ask Yukino about something that had bothered her about that encounter.

"Say, Yukino, since when have you and Fujino been on such familiar terms?" Haruka frowned, looking questionably at the girl walking next to her. Yukino mentally kicked herself for her lapse. Now she would have to think of yet another lie.

"Er, we aren't really, Haruka-chan. Was I familiar with her? I must have just had a momentary lapse, my trouble concentrating lately, you remember." Which wasn't a total lie, her recent trouble concentrating _was _what had led to her and Shizuru knowing each other so well now. Of course, Haruka took that statement a little differently.

"Oh yes, that. I've been wanting to talk to you about that too, Yukino. Are you _sure _there's nothing I can help you with, no problems you've been having?"

"No, Haruka-chan. I don't have any problems I need help with, really." _At least not one that you can help with, not when you sort of are the problem. _Her evasive answer was enough to satisfy Haruka, though, which brought a fresh wave of guilt at how much Haruka trusted her, and Yukino attempted to change the subject.

"Haruka-chan, what do we need to go do now, after the meeting.?"

Haruka thought for a moment before answering, "Eh, nothing really, Yukino. It's getting close to lunch though, do you feel hungry at all?"

Yukino smiled, "Yes Haruka-chan. I'm feeling better now, I think I could manage a little lunch. Did you have somewhere in mind?" If there was anything she knew about Haruka-chan, it was that there was _never _"Eh, nothing" to do, Haruka always had something she thought she should be doing, even if it was only walking around scowling as a preventative measure against wrong-doing. Yukino had never felt such an odd mix of pleasure and pain. She was touched that Haruka was so concerned about her, and wanted her companion to relax, but couldn't forget the fact that the concern had been caused by a lie. _These lies seem to be adding up quickly, I'll have to make it up to her somehow.._ But for now she focused on the present, as Haruka was answering her question.

"No, why don't you pick today, you're the one whose stomach we need to be careful with." Haruka turned the question back around, worry still etched in the features of her face.

Yukino groaned inwardly. _Will it never end? _She started looking forward very much to tomorrow, when Haruka would hopefully have forgotten this little episode, Until then… Yukino knew there was only one thing that would help assuage Haruka's concerns., though she dreaded to say it. She almost started laughing, after all she had been through today, _this _was still enough to worry her? It seemed ludicrous to be so apprehensive about so little a problem. Nonetheless, she still didn't want to say it, but knew she had no choice.

"Well, then, Haruka-chan, why don't we just go inside and fix up something ourselves, does that sound alright?"

Watching Haruka's body quickly relax, Yukino knew she had made the right decision, whatever the consequences would be later. She hoped fervently there was something easy to cook back in their dorm, she had more faith in her ability to stomach food from even the most grimy diner than she did Haruka's cooking.

They reached the dorm together soon, and walked inside. Haruka immediately made Yukino sit down, afraid that their trip back to the council room could have over-exerted her. Yukino sighed, Haruka never had, and probably never would, managed to do anything half-way. Yukino knew she would barely be able to lift a finger around Haruka for the next hour or so, if not the whole day. I just hope she doesn't try to feed me, Yukino thought, though the idea had some possibilities…. Yukino decided that while Haruka was in the kitchen she was safe with her thoughts for a while, and let them drift over those possibilities. It was a great sight more pleasant than the gloomy thoughts she had been thinking for a while. Whatever she had tried to convince herself and Shizuru of earlier, Yukino was once more letting hope slip into her life. Meanwhile, Haruka had gone into the kitchen, and was rummaging through what they had available. Cooking had never been her strong point, but there had to be something here that she could make easily enough.

_Salads? _No, last time she had tried to make salads they had a faint but unmistakable taste of char about them. Neither Yukino or Haruka had ever been able to find out why, but the memory stood clear in both their minds as testament to the fact that Haruka could indeed _burn _a salad. Haruka's pride wouldn't let her even _try _that again. She found some ingredients she thought she might be able to make some Ramen out of, but then remembered she still hadn't repaid Yukino for burning her pajama's the last time, when she needed something to smother the flames. She definitely didn't want to bake anything, the last time she had tried her hand at baking…. No, that was somewhere she didn't want to go again. Working her way through their repertoire she came across a small box. _It's that Sushi we brought home from that restaurant a few days ago, wonder if it's still good?_. She looked at it. It still _looked _okay, there was nothing growing on it at any rate, and it smelled… non-poisonous. It meant she didn't have to worry about cooking, so she decided to run the idea past Yukino. She sprang up and turned around, yelling into the bedroom,

"Hey Yukino, how about that leftover from the sushi place we went to a couple nights ago? You know, the one that had that authentic old turntable?" She listened, but was perplexed when she didn't get an answer. She hurried into the bedroom, where she had made Yukino sit down to rest, and was relieved to see her stretched out on the bed, merely dozing.

_Honestly_. _Oh well, I guess not everybody can be made of the same stuff as Suzushiro Haruka._ She was glad that her friend seemed to be feeling well, however. In fact, she looked more peaceful in sleep than she had for a long time. Haruka had thought it was perhaps stress from concentrating on the upcoming end -of-year exams, on top of Yukino's executive duties, that was making her partner's sleep so fitful as of late. Whatever it was, it seemed to have left her alone for the time being. Haruka walked over to the side of the bed, planning on nudging Yukino's shoulder to rouse her, but then hesitated. Yukino just looked far too peaceful to disturb. She reached a hand down and brushed a lock of unruly hair out of Yukino's eyes. Her hair was as rebellious as ever, if a bit longer than usual. She didn't know if Yukino was planning on growing it out a bit, or just hadn't noticed how long it was now, but she determined to let Yukino knew that she had rather liked the short hair later. Later, because now she just couldn't bring herself to wake her sleeping friend. _I'll just let her sleep for a few more minutes._ Haruka settled herself into a nearby chair. Just a few more minutes, while she took a quick rest herself. Not falling asleep, of course, but just resting her eyes for a bit. Just a bit while she let Yukino enjoy her sleep, just a bit….

Yukino's eyelids jumped open in alarm as she heard a loud, unidentifiable growling sound jar her out of her peaceful doze. She looked about quickly, trying to find the source, before realizing that it was coming out of… Haruka. Yukino smiled. Haruka always insisted on having the lights out before she would come out of the bathroom and go to bed, and Yukino had found out why long ago, though she let Haruka continue to think it was a secret. Yukino had found the nasal strips in the back of the medicine cabinet one day, and realized that Haruka didn't want her to know that she snored. Yukino had gone cheerfully along letting Haruka have her little secret, but now realized that it had meant something else. Because of this little vanity of Haruka's, Yukino realized that she had never had the chance to see Haruka asleep before. Between the lights-out request and Haruka always managing to wake up before her, there was never any time in which Yukino could have seen her friend like that. As she listened to Haruka's grunting and rumbling, she found it oddly comforting. Here was Suzushiro Haruka-chan at her least guarded, her most vulnerable. Yukino took this rare opportunity to study her love's face without fear of discovery, but didn't entirely like what she found. Yukino saw worry and stress in every curve and angle of that face, and for once _hoped _that this concern was over her and her "illness", as she didn't want to think that Haruka slept such troubled sleep all the time. She knew that Haruka was driven, but had always hoped that her partner was able to find some release at times, even if only in sleep. Yukino rose and quietly walked over too her sleeping loved one. She brushed back lock of blonde hair that had fallen into her beautiful face, not knowing that Haruka had made such a similar gesture not so long ago, on her own sleeping form. She ran her fingers down Haruka's soft cheek, guiltily wondering what it would be like to cup that cheek tenderly in her hand, and look deeply into Haruka's soft violet eyes, drown in those eyes as they shone with love… Her fingers made their way towards Haruka's lips, following the arc of her almost permanent frown. She leaned closer, wondering what those lips would feel like on her own, what they would taste like… She lowered her head. Would it be so bad, just to see, just this once? Halfway towards Haruka's face, Yukino froze. _What am I doing?_ She snatched her hand away from Haruka's face. Yukino stared at that hand in horror. She recalled a similar scene, from not so long ago. Yukino felt sick to her stomach, she had allowed herself a chance at loving Haruka-chan again, and this was what she did with it. She had told Shizuru that she understood, but she had also thought that such an understanding would provide her some amount of immunity from temptations like this. What would Haruka have thought if she had woken up, if she ever found out about what Yukino had almost done? Yukino imagined those eyes she remembered, with their shock and repulsion clearly displayed, only focused on her this time, accusing and betrayed. Yukino backed away, slowly and silently as she had come, and laid back down on the bed. What would Haruka have said? What would she have _done_? _What would it have meant for us…? _As hard as she tried to quiet them, to return to the peaceful rest of a moment ago, these questions coursed tirelessly through her mind, and afforded her only the most restless of slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

Haruka awoke to almost total darkness. Looking about with the fog of sleep still clouding her mind, she wondered vaguely why everything was so dark. She sleepily remembered sitting down for just a moment, letting Yukino rest, before… Haruka came fully awake in an instant, knocking herself on the head for doing such a foolish thing. How could she have been so careless as to fall asleep? And for so long too! It was dark because they never used lights during the day, the sunlight streaming through the windows was normally effective enough for giving them light. Haruka made her way carefully through the darkness towards the bedside table and switched on the small lamp that resided there. Squinting at the sudden brightness, she was slowly able to make out the display of the clock: seven forty-six. About seven or eight hours then- hours that she had spent doing absolutely nothing worthwhile. Haruka sat on the edge of the bed, resting her head on her hands.

"How could I have been so stupid?" she mumbled, "To waste an entire day's worth of work?" She had wanted just a little break for Yukino, have some lunch, not waste the entire day… hearing a rustle behind her, Haruka turned to see her closest friend turning over, murmuring inaudibly. Haruka couldn't help but crack a wry smile.

"At least one good thing came out of this gross lapse of duty. Yukino was certainly able to get all the rest she needed today." Looking more closely, Haruka noticed something off about the picture and, sighing with exaggerated annoyance, reached over and gently removed Yukino's glasses, holding them up to the light. Just as she suspected, Yukino had managed to bend the frames while moving about in her sleep. Haruka was a little surprised she had moved at all, with how peaceful she had been sleeping… Haruka did a double take, looking at Yukino's face again.

That serene image she remembered from earlier had been replaced by one she had seen all too much of late. Once again, Yukino had that distressed countenance in her sleep, possibly worse tonight than ever before. Haruka thought she could make out faint traces of tears on the girls face, and for some reason she was clutching one hand tightly within the other, hard enough to make her knuckles turn white. Haruka couldn't stand the sight of her friend in such distress, but didn't want to wake her either, so she compromised, gently prying apart Yukino's hands and holding them for a few seconds. She couldn't imagine what had caused such a drastic departure from her assistant's earlier tranquility. Haruka wanted to wake her comrade, to shake her by the shoulders and demand that she tell her what was wrong. Haruka felt helpless in the face of this new problem, and helplessness was not something that she was used to dealing with. Yukino could just be so stubborn sometimes. Regardless, she determined to get to the bottom of this as soon as she was able to; as soon as Yukino awoke. Haruka still wasn't able to find the heart to wake her, after all. As she firmly put that course of action into her mind, her stomach let out an embarrassing grumble. _That _was something she could help right now, and she knew just how to go about it: there was still a box of sushi in the kitchen that needed eating.

Haruka tucked Yukino's glasses carefully into her pocket, to remind her to get them fixed later, as she rose and walked towards the kitchen. The scene that greeted her was enough to make her groan aloud. She had forgotten to close the refrigerator door, and had also left several perishable items out on the counter, including the sushi.

"There goes about half our food…" Haruka sighed. The fact that they didn't access it often failed to make her feel better, as Haruka disliked making any kind of mistake at all. She reluctantly set about throwing away most of the contents of the fridge, along with what she had left out, before turning to the other problem: What were they going to eat now?

"I hope she won't mind fast food then…" She really hoped that Yukino's stomach could handle it, because it was the best option Haruka could think of. She continued the train of thought while preparing to go out.

"Maybe a couple of those salads that the fast-food establishments are using to try and look healthier? Those might not be too bad," she mused, "Certainly better than anything else that I could get quickly at this time in the evening… Now what kind of dressing does Yukino like?"

Trying to remember anything else she might have forgotten about Yukino's dining preferences, Haruka quietly made her way towards the door, grabbing a light overcoat off a jacket-hook to ward off the chill that was beginning to creep into the air around this time of year. Haruka quietly closed the door after her exit, and began her usual resolute march down the hall. Most anyone in the school who saw her coming in such a fashion generally gave her a generous leeway, which was how she preferred it: there was no sense in her taking the time to dodge the other denizens of the hallways when she had somewhere to be. This time those encounters were few, as the halls, and later the streets, were fairly empty at this time of evening. Those who enjoyed activity in the daytime hours had all gone inside to prepare for the morrow, and the creatures of the night had yet to venture out for their nocturnal prowling. The night air was crisp and refreshing, and Haruka felt energized by it. She wouldn't have admitted it to anybody, but that extra sleep had made her feel great, maybe she should start getting a bit more of the stuff. Haruka was instilled with a strange positive feeling, and soon found herself humming a tune that she couldn't identify, and generally enjoying being out on the town for nothing at all, something she didn't do… well, ever. Even when she and Yukino were out like this, she was always focused on some problem or policy or some such school matter, and Haruka had to admit guiltily to herself that this was a nice change. She knew she should feel bad about neglecting her duty as executive director, but, under the circumstances, just couldn't manage it. Furthermore, she knew deep down that she hadn't missed much, if anything. She suddenly found her thoughts drifting to Yukino, _I wish she were feeling better, so she could have come. _It didn't seem right that the one time Haruka was managing some free time, Yukino was home ill.

Haruka walked along in the rapidly fading twilight, noticing as a few stragglers amongst the businesses turned on their brilliantly lighted signage. As she walked down the street, bathed in the multicolored glow of dozens of lights, a thought poked through her slightly euphoric haze: she had no idea where she was going. She tapped herself on the forehead, annoyed at her own lack of forethought.

"Come all the way out here and _then _figure out where I'm going. Perfect." She stopped, looking around at all the choices available. Nothing looked at all eye-catching, until she spied a certain long white building with a dark brown roof off down the street to her left. Squinting, she could just make out the writing on a large dimly-lit sign through the encroaching darkness: Linden Baum. Haruka frowned, the name niggling at her mind, she knew she had heard it somewhere before, but where? Oh, yes, this was another place where Tokiha-san worked part-time; Yukino had told her that once. Haruka shrugged, as long as she didn't have any inkling of where to go anyway, it seemed like a reasonable choice, so she started making her way over. Everybody knew about Mai's fantastic cooking; she probably wouldn't be working here if the food was at all objectionable. With that thought in mind, Haruka was confident that she would be able to find something nice to eat here. Opening the door, she walked in and looked around. It looked like a nice place, though she noted apprehensively that it also looked more like a sit-in diner than a place she would be able to get take-out from.

"Only one way to find out." She muttered under her breath, moving towards the counter. She had only managed a few steps in that direction, however, before she heard a vaguely familiar voice call out to her.

"Haruka, hi! What are you doing here?" She looked around for the source of that question, and saw a junior high student with short, black hair waving energetically towards her. It was Minagi Mikoto, Tokiha Mai's roommate. What was she doing out this late? She walked over to Mikoto and was surprised to see a great deal of food on the table in front the girl. _She must be here with a group of friends. I wonder where they've gone off to?_

"Er, hello Minagi-san, I'm here to get some food. How are you doing today?" Haruka asked politely, unsure of what to say, she didn't really know the girl that well, though she believed Yukino was on friendly terms with her.

"Doing good, thanks. How is Haruka doing today?" Mikoto looked around questioningly, giving Haruka pause. _What is wrong with this girl?_

"Um, where is Yukino? When Haruka is around, Yukino is too. Strange."

Haruka frowned uncomfortably at the other girls youthful directness. It was true, she and Yukino were almost always together, but it felt odd to have someone point it out in such a manner. It also felt right in a strange way, she had to admit it.. _Suzushiro_ _Haruka and Kikukawa Yukino, good partners and fast friends_. Haruka found herself absent-mindedly feeling Yukino's glasses beneath the layers of clothing, wishing again that Yukino could be here now, she would probably have been amused by Minagi's comment.

"Yukino is back at the school, Minagi-san. She's still resting up from that illness she had when she stopped by and visited you and Tokiha-san, but I think she's just about all better now. Thank you for looking after her."

Mikoto stared perplexedly at her, a bit of noodle hanging from the corner of her mouth. Haruka stared back with a raised eyebrow. _Did I say something wrong?_ Luckily for both Yukino and Mai, the latter had been walking over to check on her little roommate and had heard the exchange. Mai popped up, preventing Mikoto from talking by quite thoroughly cleaning her mouth with the corner of a towel she was carrying, and averted the approaching disaster.

"Oh, Director, please don't mind Mikoto here. When she's hungry, she manages to forget all her manners, not to mention anything else that happened during the day." Haruka's unexpected visit to her workplace reminded Mai that she really needed to find out what was going on with Yukino, the incident from earlier had completely slipped her mind up till now. With Haruka in front of her now, she couldn't resist trying to glean some information.

"So, Suzushiro-san, did you manage to find Yukino back at the dorm? Was she still okay?" Mai was pressing her fingers down on Mikoto's lips behind her back as she asked this, trying to impress upon her charge the need to be quiet for a moment. _So, Minagi-san is here with Tokiha-san, _Haruka thought. _It makes sense. The two are about as inseparable as Yukino and I_. Haruka decided to give Mai the abridged version, not really wanting to go through the whole story.

"Yes, Tokiha-san. I found her there as you said I would. She seems better now; she's been getting her rest all day." Haruka didn't feel there was any reason to tell Mai that they had _both _been asleep for the past seven hours, it wasn't anything anybody needed to know.

"I'm glad to hear it. Oh," Mai straitened up and gave a slight bow, gossip angling couldn't come before her job, unfortunately, "Welcome to Linden Baum, what can I do to help you?" Haruka quickly remembered why she was there.

"Ah, yes, Tokiha-san. I was wondering, do you have any kinds of salads that I could get as take-out? I don't know if you do that kind of thing here, bu-"

"No problem, Suzushiro-san. We keep fresh salads on hand in back at all times, it's no trouble at all to get a couple to go. Could you follow me please?" She turned to Mikoto, "I'll be back in just a minute, Mikoto. Why don't you finish up and I'll get you a sundae for dessert?" Any problems Mikoto was having with this situation evaporated immediately at the thought of dessert, and she turned back towards her meal, throwing a quick "Goodbye" at Haruka over her shoulder. Haruka stood staring open-mouthed at the small girls ability to put away large quantities of food in a remarkably short period of time.

"Where is it all going?" she gaped. Mai noticed Haruka wasn't following and went back, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her away.

"Mikoto comes by a lot when I work late. She really likes to watch out for me, and doesn't think I can take care of myself. As if it's not really the other way around... I think the food might have something to do with it as well." Mai smiled affectionately at the girl over her shoulder. Haruka felt a sudden envy, watching these two friends enjoying time together when she was away from her own, but quickly pushed down that thought. She would be back to her partner soon; nothing was going to happen because she had stepped out for a little bit. Mai guided Haruka over to the check-out counter, and told her what the salads cost. Haruka added a few more containers of different dressing to the order, still unsure what Yukino liked, and paid Mai the total. Mai went into the back and got the ready-made salads and dressing cups out of the little cooler, bringing them back up front in a small paper sack.

"Please, tell Yukino I said 'hello', Suzushiro-san. Have a good night." Mai waved her out with a cheerful smile. After Haruka had gone, Mai reluctantly went over to Mikoto's table to begin the troublesome task of explaining the situation to her. A task made all the more difficult because Mikoto had already forgotten Haruka's visit in the face of a tasty ice-cream treat.

Haruka, meanwhile, started back towards the school, her meal tucked securely under one arm. She was glad she had gone to that restaurant: it was nice seeing some of Yukino's friends, and the salads looked much better than she had expected to get from some greasy fast-food joint. Haruka wasn't much of a salad kind of person, but even she was looking forward to the fresh and tasty looking greenery that she had just bought. The farther she walked, the better she felt, a strange anticipation welling inside her. The only thing missing from her good mood so far had been sharing it with her closest companion, and now she was going to fix that. As she walked, alone with her thoughts, she started thinking that perhaps Yukino hadn't been quite as far away as she thought. She fingered Yukino's glasses through the fabric again. _At least some part of Yukino came along. _Haruka allowed a slight smile to play over her face. _Like always..._ Haruka's thoughts had been on little but Yukino tonight. It was even Yukino's voice that, after a fashion, had made her decide to go to the Linden Baum. After so many years together, it looked like it was impossible to leave her friend entirely behind, and Haruka was comforted by the thought. It would still be good getting back though.

"After all, the real Yukino is best." she explained to the night air, before swiftly looking about for anybody that might have overheard. _What's wrong with wanting to be with my friend? _Haruka couldn't answer her own question, and wondered why it had even come up. She _was _rather used to Yukino being around, she supposed, and it was only natural to miss somebody who had been a constant in her life for so long, right?

When she arrived back at the dorm she entered much more quietly than usual, checking and noticing that Yukino was still fast asleep. She crept into the room, setting the bag down and hanging her overcoat back up on the wall. She looked at Yukino, who still seemed unable to find the restful sleep Haruka would wanted her to have. A devious little thought struck her, and she reached into one of the salads and picked out a ripe little cherry tomato. They both hadn't eaten since breakfast and, if Yukino was as hungry as Haruka felt, this was sure to get her up. She walked carefully over to Yukino's bedside and waved the morsel under her nose.

"Yuuukinooo, are you getting hungry?" Yukino didn't wake up at her intonation, but Haruka did notice her face become much less troubled at the sound of her voice, lightening closer to the same happy, serene visage she remembered from earlier. Then Yukino opened her mouth and reached up, taking a bite out of the offered fruit. Haruka stifled a laugh- Yukino was actually _eating _in her sleep? Haruka kept the other half of the juicy red fruit close, trying to see if Yukino would finish it before waking up. Yukino smiled, letting out a pleasant murmur of "Haruka" , before taking the last of the bite. Haruka looked down at Yukino and her extended hand, amused at her friends unconscious behavior. Then Yukino woke up.

After a few moments while she still hovered between the realms of sleep and the waking world, she saw that she had her lips wrapped around the tip of Haruka's extended finger. She blushed to her hairline, opening her mouth speechlessly, wondering what she had done. Haruka quickly withdrew her hand, she hadn't wanted to disturb Yukino, but it looked like that had backfired. Haruka quickly tried to think of how to explain to Yukino that she had only meant to wake her up, not anything _else_... Yukino's mind was another place entirely, the little thoughts that she had been thinking before first dropping off coming vividly to the forefront of her mind. _That was very much like what I was thinking earlier, only it had been a bit of grapefruit, and we were in a garden, and…_Yukino banished the thought, this was certainly not the time to be thinking on that. It shouldn't ever be the time, considering what she had almost done earlier when she had woken up to found Haruka asleep. She clenched her hand involuntarily, as that memory played just as vividly in her mind as her fantasies. _No, I need to keep my thoughts away from there, or I'm going to be tempted again.._. Haruka was the first to break the silence.

"Sorry, Yukino. I was just trying to get you up, seeing if the smell of fresh food would entice you towards wakefulness. I didn't mean to do anything untoward." She finished stiffly, looking apologetic. Yukino almost burst out laughing. With all the thoughts that had been running through her mind, Yukino couldn't believe that Haruka thought that little incident was _her _fault, although… Yukino had only been concerned of her actions and their consequences, but now she had to wonder what had made Haruka do such a thing in the first place. Haruka was usually terse and short with everybody, and was very undemonstrative, even with her. Yukino actually found herself worried about her partners behavior.

"Ah, no problem Haruka-chan, but are you feeling alright?" Yukino was acutely cognizant of the irony in this role-reversal, as she had long been on the receiving end of questions like that, for thoughts and events that mirrored their current situation. Haruka just let out a little embarrassed laugh, glad that it appeared Yukino had gotten over what had just happened.

"I'm fine, Yukino, don't worry about me." Haruka quickly changed the subject, "I went out and got us some dinner. I didn't want to wake you, so I just stepped out while you were still sleeping. I figured you still needed your rest. You're looking much better now, by the way. Oh, yes, I forgot something," Haruka reached into her pocket and retrieved Yukino's glasses, "I meant to get them straightened out- You were sleeping in them, you know? But, I got distracted." Haruka held them out to her partner, who received them willingly. Yukino hadn't even realized she was missing them. She was pretty near-sighted, but Haruka had been close enough that Yukino hadn't required any aids when she woke up to that splendid little scene a moment ago.

"It's no problem, Haruka-chan, when you wear them for so long, you learn to do some little repairs. This isn't that bad." Yukino deftly twisted the frames back into shape, and by the time she was done Haruka could barely even recognize that they had been bent in the first place.

"When you're partners with the Executive Director at this school, you definitely get used to your glasses getting bent and scuffed." Yukino smiled, and they both thought of the messes they had managed to get into during their stakeouts and missions over past years… Yukino interrupted their mutual reverie, she _was _hungry after all.

"What did you get for us Haruka-chan?" Right after she asked, she bit her tongue at having asked such an obvious question. _What else would come with chilled cherry tomatoes?_ Haruka didn't answer, instead revealing them from the confines of the paper bag.

"I got them from the restaurant that Tokiha-san works at. They look pretty good, don't they?" Haruka placed a salad in front of Yukino, and began unpacking the various dressings. Yukino looked at the food that had been set before her, then up at Haruka who was easing herself into a sitting position at the low table.

"Oh yes, they are good Haruka-chan. Here, you try some." And she leaned over and popped one of her own cherry tomatoes into the mouth of her very surprised friend, letting her finger graze Haruka's lower lip on its way back. Yukino was surprised at her own daring. _Where did that come from? _Haruka managed to get over the surprise shortly, and started to chew, the mellow flavor infusing her mouth and increasing her already considerable appetite. She licked her lips in a very satisfied manner.

"Mmmm, that is good, Yukino. We'll have to remember these when we're looking for somewhere to eat next time, eh?" Yukino nodded dreamily, still feeling giddy over her action, and at having gotten away with it. She opened her salad in its plastic container all the way, and selected a cup of her favorite Italian dressing to go with it. Haruka started to do the same, before she realized that she hadn't gotten her own favorite, having been too focused on getting Yukino one she would like. She managed to laugh inwardly at her own forgetfulness, she couldn't get mad over something like that right now. She just picked one at random, deciding that it wouldn't really matter anyway. They ate in contented silence for a while, neither of them wanting to break the tranquility. Haruka looked around, enjoying the familiarity of their room, and happened to notice Yukino's laptop sitting on the desk. She shook her head slightly, exasperated. _Honestly, even if we haven't had that much to do lately, something could still come up that requires executive attention. Yukino...I hope whatever it is on your mind will give you peace soon. _

"What was that, Haruka-chan?"

"Huh? I didn't say anything." _Drat, I need to watch myself. Next thing, she'll find out I snore too. _She opted to quickly change the subject, "Yukino, looks like you forgot to plug in your laptop." She gestured towards said computer, which had obviously gone dead. Yukino jumped up, abashed at her carelessness, and went over to hook it up to the AC adapter. While she was there, she noticed her phone was off too. _That's right...I turned it off so as to not disturb the meeting earlier. _She turned it on, and checked for any missed calls or messages. She frowned, there were three missed calls, from Shizuru. _Was that really only today?_ There was a text message too, that said simply "Please give me a call when you are able- Shizuru" What could she want now? Yukino knew that the woman wouldn't have tried to call if it weren't important. She also knew she was going to have to deceive Haruka again, and did some quick thinking while going back to the table where Haruka sat.

"Haruka-chan, are you thirsty? I think I'm going to go get a drink from the machine down the hall. Would you like me to get you something?" Yukino fervently hoped that her apparent recovery from her "illness" would keep Haruka from wanting to keep an eye on her this time.

"Yes, Yukino, that sounds good. Could you get me a hot coffee?" Haruka had already decided that Yukino looked better now, and she didn't want to make her friend feel like she was being watched, even if she really would have liked to keep an eye on her. She turned back to her meal and continued eating, a small sign of trust. Yukino nodded, relieved, and took her exit from the room, managing to secrete her phone into her pocket on the way. She walked down the hall, turning the corner before she took it back out and dialed Shizuru's number.

Back in her own room, Shizuru looked up from her computer as the phone rang. She looked to see who it was from. _Finally, Kikukawa-san_. She brought up the necessary information on her computer, and summoned the proper attitude, before answering.

"Hello, Kikukawa-san, I've been expecting this call for a while. What have you been doing with your phone off, alone with Suzushiro-san for hours and hours? Do you still need _my _help with anything?" Shizuru laughed softly; the low, suggestive tone clearly evident even through the earpiece. Yukino was blushing, each of Shizuru's shrewd questions darkening her complexion a shade.

"Shizuru-san, you shouldn't say things like that! We both fell asleep. Haruka-chan woke up first and got us some dinner, that's all." Yukino felt no need to give out any more information than that: Shizuru would have been like a small child in a sweet shop if she knew any more of what had happened during this time. _Wait, there's something off here..._ "Shizuru-san, how did you know any of that, anyway? Are you spying on us?"

"No, Kikukawa-san, I'm not spying. I just happen to have some very reliable connections." Harada Chie was a most useful person to know, really. Shizuru was a little amused at Yukino's reaction, and suspected that _something _of interest had to have happened, else Yukino wouldn't sound so perturbed. Ah, but even her connections could not see behind closed doors. She let Yukino have her little secrets for the time being, and focused on what she had wanted the call for.

"I wanted to talk to you about my little plan. I have just one question: Aside from any higher aspirations you might have for Haruka's affections, how much do you think she likes you to be with her now?"

Yukino was quite taken aback by this line of questioning. _How much does Haruka like me being around_? Yukino was about to answer the usual "I'm the one tagging along, she doesn't needs me around" line, but she stopped, thinking about it a little longer this time. Haruka could have stalked about campus keeping order with her forceful presence quite well by herself today; that was no complicated task that would require Yukino's help. _But she didn't, she spent her time looking for me, and then taking care of me. _Haruka had even went out and got them dinner when she could have been catching up on work, and Haruka was no stranger to missed meals. _Neither am I, for that matter, _she thought ruefully. Sure, it could have been concern over her "condition", but she had given Haruka no reason to suspect a relapse of any kind would occur. To anybody else, Yukino might still have given that same old line, but felt she could be honest with the woman on the end of the line.

"Shizuru-san, I think that Haruka-chan does… prefer it when I'm around. We _are _partners, and we work better together, and I think we're good friends. But what does this have to do with anything we talked about earlier? You're were trying to convince _me _that Haruka-chan thought I was important, before. What's with this all of a sudden?" Yukino would never know, but would later suspect that Shizuru was playing this with a scheming smirk and as much trickery as one could manage.

"Oh nothing to concern yourself with, Kikukawa-san, just make sure your computer is turned on in a half-hour's time, you'll learn then. Goodbye." She hung up before the other girl could respond. _One little adjustment to make… and there, perfect. _Shizuru had thought of this little change to her plan earlier when she first heard tell of a certain incident involving Yuuki Nao, but Yukino's words served to confirm her course of action. This was either going to help Yukino with her self-esteem issues, or completely crush her spirit forever. Shizuru felt a little guilty about gambling with Yukino's emotional and mental state like this, but she felt lucky tonight. _Suzushiro-san will make the right decision, I know she will. And speaking of lucky…_ Shizuru set the timer for her e-mail. She needed to get ready for her evening with a certain gruff, raven-haired picture of loveliness that would be expecting her arrival soon.

Yukino heard the connection cut off, but wasn't about to accept that kind of answer, not when it might have something to do with her and Haruka. She dialed again, only to learn that Shizuru had anticipated her and turned off the phone. Yukino muttered something under her breath, then blushed, shocked at her own language. But could that woman ever be _frustrating._ Yukino had always disliked it when Shizuru had managed to manipulate Haruka, and was starting to become even more averse to it as she was now on the receiving end. Perhaps she was expecting too much change to come out of their heart-to-heart, but Shizuru… Yukino almost dropped what she was doing to go ask her more questions in person, but remembered past her irritation that there was somebody much more important waiting for her. She sighed, conceding this one to Shizuru, and hurried over to vending machine, getting Haruka her coffee and herself a mixed juice. She hurriedly returned to the room, hoping Haruka hadn't noticed the delay.

"Here, Haruka-chan, your coffee." Yukino extended her arm, giving the drink to her friend before settling back down in her own spot. Yukino noticed that Haruka had already finished her own salad, and was now sitting there, looking at her while she sipped her hot drink. Yukino felt a bit of heat rise to her face, and hoped Haruka would attribute it to her recent activity. She started again on her own meal, a little more self-conscious than she had been before, with Haruka's gaze still fixed on her and Shizuru's call still fresh in her mind.

"Say, Yukino," Haruka started suddenly, "Did you want to go anywhere tonight? I think we both had a lot of sleep earlier, and tomorrow is Sunday anyway; we can get regulated then. How about we enjoy a bit of the night life that everybody talks about. To give us a keener insight into the minds of some of the students, of course." Haruka smiled as she finished saying this, catching Yukino by surprise. _She must be feeling good,_ Yukino thought. _Not only is she talking about _not _working, something that Haruka can't manage even on Sunday, our "day off", she's _joking _about it. _

"Eh, I cant think of anywhere in particular, Haruka-chan. Why don't we just have fun wandering around, trying out different places and things to do? If you want to get a better perspective on the students, I mean." Yukino could imagine it so clearly- she and Haruka painting the town red, flitting from place to place with nowhere to go but where their hearts took them… _Or, we could just go to a karaoke bar; no need to wax poetic,_ she chastised herself.

"That does sound like a good idea, Yukino. You finish eating while I go wash up. You can have the washroom in a minute or two." With a definite course of action now in mind, Haruka was up and off again. Yukino had to smile at Haruka's zealous expression as she laid clothes and other such things out. They were going out to have fun, but anybody else looking in would have thought Haruka was preparing for a covert mission, with how seriously she took everything. She laid out her blouse, pants (it was cool out), shoes, stockings, and light jacket in a neat and orderly line, before turning and walking into the bathroom.

Outside the bathroom, Yukino finished her salad quickly with no one to talk too, she _was _quite hungry after going almost all day without anything to eat. She started wondering what she was going to wear for their trip out. She looked over Haruka's planned attire: A simple light blue blouse, with a white jacket to go over it. A pair of worn, but comfortable looking tan pants, and a pair of equally worn and comfortable looking white sneakers. Yukino hadn't seen Haruka such a get-up since they were in Junior High.. She still had some similar clothes left in her wardrobe however, and chose something close. She picked out a plain white tee-shirt to go under a light scarlet jacket that her mother had sent her last winter. Next to come out were a pair of loose blue jeans that she had spontaneously tried on and bought, thinking that they looked so daring, but hadn't worn since. A pair of her own worn sneakers completed the ensemble, and Yukino smiled lightly at the result. _We're going to look a right pair of uncivilized, immoral young ladies tonight, aren't we?_

Yukino waited for Haruka to finish up in the bathroom, having not realized that the other woman would take so long. _Probably has something to do with her hair._ Yukino never really bothered too much with her own hair, just washing it, drying it, and running a brush through it a couple of times. The brush only served to untangle it, as nothing would tame her unruly mop. She had tried some different styling products before, but they had left her hair feeling unpleasant, and she didn't really like the look she came out with either. Regardless, she was content with just letting it be; that was much easier and more comfortable, after all. Considering her hair… she took a bit of it and pulled it strait, judging the length. _I really need to get it cut soon. It becomes even more difficult to manage when it's a bit long, not to mention taking forever to wash._ Hair-washing was what she suspected was taking Haruka so long now, with her waves of golden tresses.

Yukino looked up as her computer made a noise indicating that she'd received mail, and groaned. The thought of her and Haruka's night out had driven Shizuru's call right out of her mind. She walked over to the offending device, and saw that it was indeed the message Shizuru had promised would come. When she tried to open it, however, it called for a password, saying that it was meant for Suzushiro Haruka, the Executive Director, only. _What on Earth could that woman be up to? I've been asleep most of the day, but she's been up scheming the whole time, what could she have come up with in those seven or eight hours?_ She shrugged. _No use worrying about it until Haruka gets out of the shower anyways._ Fortunately, that wasn't too much longer, as Haruka soon came bursting out of the bathroom, clad in a white robe. Scrubbing her hair with a towel, she noticed Yukino by the computer.

"What's this?" She inquired, walking over and reading the dialogue box on the screen, "A password? I thought that was just a formality... I've never heard of anyone ever having to _use_ the executive password before." She quickly typed it in, Yukino's experienced eye making out the words "Princess Carnival" . _That's quite a formality_, Yukino mused, _hundreds of years old at least, for it to have a tie to the now broken sequence of HiME Festivals._ Yukino focused on the message that came up for now, making a mental note to tell Midori about such a thing later, she would probably find it interesting.

The message read:

Suzushiro Haruka, you have been selected by the Student Council for a special assignment. You will be expected to report to the student council room promptly at 0700 tomorrow with necessities enough for three days away from the academy. Further instruction will be given at this time. Please be sure to come well rested as stamina will be important.

-Fujino Shizuru, Student Council President

Haruka looked apologetically at Yukino.

"Sorry, I guess there go our plans for tonight. I still want to go, but we have our responsibilities." Yukino nodded slowly.

"I understand, Haruka-chan. You have to be one hundred percent for this tomorrow, and going out on the town would be rather counter-productive to that, wouldn't it?"

Yukino gave her best little understanding and forgiving little smile, and was rewarded when she noticed the other woman's relieved expression. Haruka hated breaking any kind of a promise, and she always strove to make her word as good as any promise. Haruka was glad Yukino didn't hold it against her and was determined to make up for it somehow, someday. _For now, though, I need to focus on the work at hand_.

Yukino, for her part, truly didn't hold anything against her compatriot. She didn't want Haruka to feel that she had to drop her commitment to duty and responsibility just for her. She loved that integrity and commitment just as much as she loved everything else about Haruka. Shizuru, however, was another matter entirely. _Just what crazy idea does she have cooking now?_ The president had said that Haruka would be getting some time off, time off that Yukino had assumed that they would be able to spend together. Now it seemed that Haruka was being given extra work, and that it was going to be alone, far away from the school. To top this little farce all off, Shizuru's little scheme had just spoiled a night that she and Haruka could actually have spent together having _fun._ She and Shizuru really needed to have a talk, but Yukino couldn't think of when or where, not with Haruka leaving so early the following morning. Yukino was also willing to bet anything that she would have a very difficult time finding Shizuru tonight, for an entirely innocent reason of some kind. _Well, what's set is set, but rest assured, Shizuru-san... you and I will exchange words on this matter later._

Haruka turned back for a moment and caught sight of her roommate's face again. Though Yukino said she was okay with everything, Haruka knew her better than that. Yukino really had been looking forward to their time together, away from work. _What does the bubuzuke-onna want with me, and alone at that? _What was with this sudden, unexplained mystery assignment for tomorrow? Haruka strengthened her resolve, determined that she would have a few choice words for the council president later; a few specially picked-out, limited-edition words… Her suspicion that Yukino's response hadn't been quite honest was confirmed as she continued to observe her partner. Yukino was keeping herself busy, putting both of their clothes up and cleaning the remnants of the meal. Haruka sighed, feeling guilty again. As long back as Haruka could remember, Yukino always tried to mask any misgivings or hurt she felt by throwing herself at any task available, preferring to work things out for herself than ask for help. This time, however, Haruka wasn't about to make Yukino deal with anything on her own, _I'll be up at the council room a little early tomorrow, President, and we are going to… discuss things_. Another decision reached at satisfactorily, Haruka changed into her traditional but comfortable pajamas, and laid down in her bed, watching Yukino continue to work. Haruka wanted to help, but knew that trying would only make the girl feel uncomfortable.

Yukino finished cleaning up, and finally had nothing left to do but put on her own pajamas, lay down on her own bed, and try to get some sleep. As she lay down, she noticed Haruka was getting up to get her snore-preventing nasal strip. She didn't know what it was that made her get up and say anything, but it felt like the right thing to do.

"Haruka-chan," Yukino started, Haruka turning to face her friend questioningly, "I know about your ah, snoring." Yukino felt there just _had_ to be a more delicate term, but moved on, "Don't feel bad about it; I'm an easy sleeper anyway. It won't bother me. Why don't you try going without and see if you manage to sleep any better? I bet those things aren't too comfortable." Yukino hoped she hadn't offended her friend, but she didn't want Haruka to think that she had to keep anything from her, even something like this. Haruka flushed from embarrassment, but Yukino was right, they weren't all that comfortable, and she was probably going to have enough trouble sleeping tonight as it was. Haruka felt grateful for this little admission: her own pride would never have let her discuss such a thing, and smiled.

"Well.. Yukino, if you're sure it won't bother you, I think I will go without tonight. Thanks for your consideration." Haruka turned back and laid down, before turning to face her friend in the other bed.

"Good-night, Yukino."

"Good-night, Haruka-chan."

Yukino heard the guilt still present in Haruka's voice, and Haruka heard the repressed hurt in Yukino's, but neither of them said anything. They both lay still for a long while in silence, each struggling with their own thoughts deep into the night. Yukino noticed that she couldn't hear the tell-tale snores of her companion, so she knew that Haruka was still awake. She couldn't think of anything she could do or say that would make Haruka feel better, so just lay awake, her mind a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions that she couldn't calm. Haruka was struggling with her own thoughts as well, but she had no way of telling whether Yukino was awake or asleep, and maintained the silence so as not to disturb her partner. She had earlier decided on a course of action, but now doubts were creeping in. When had something besides her efforts to prove herself to Shizuru and the student council proved at all important to her? She was Suzushiro Haruka! She would never back down, never flinch in the face of any challenge that was thrown her way! And yet… she was about to do just that. She was about to admit to her greatest rival that she was incapable of doing something that was asked of her, and what's more, she felt _good _for it. She rolled over, just able to make out the mark of her office laying on the table. She reached out and grabbed the armband, running the material through her fingers, feeling the almost invisible seam where the two ends attached. She didn't like to dwell overmuch on the events of that time, but this item served to remind her of things that should not ever be forgotten. Conflicting thoughts and emotions ran through her mind the rest of the night, and afforded her no sleep at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Yukino awoke for the fourth time in a twenty-four hour span, feeling even more tired now than she had before falling asleep. She arched her back, and stretched out her cramped limbs, doing little to ease the tension. Rubbing her eyes, she reached over to the nightstand for her glasses. She wondered what had awoken her. She wasn't used to waking on her own, not any more. Mornings involved Haruka marching to and fro, getting ready for the day. Yukino looked over towards the bed Haruka had vacated. Yukino knew she would be gone; she could see the clock. It read seven-twelve already, but it hadn't felt real until now. She hadn't even gotten a chance to say goodbye. Yukino took a deep breath, trying to find the motivation to get out of bed and do… _What? What is there for me to do today? _Sighing, she nevertheless got up, and headed for the shower. This was how her days always began, grabbing a quick shower after Haruka, getting ready for the trials of the day. Something didn't feel right as she walked into the bathroom though, something she couldn't place. It came to her when she turned on the scorching hot water, and felt the cloud of steam waft up towards her…. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone for her morning shower without meeting a wall of steam at the door. _Haruka-chan takes such hot showers._ Yukino found herself standing in the bathroom, waiting until the humidity seeped into every corner of the room before turning down the heat to a comfortable level and getting in. Yukino usually liked her morning showers, the feel of the hot water hitting her skin, loosening muscles stiff from sleep and stress. _I can't even enjoy my morning shower today, not like this._ She ended her shower quickly, and headed out into the main room to get dressed, stewing over the options on how to spend her first true day off in what felt like years. She was snapped from her reverie by the ringing of her mobile. Seeing the name, Yukino had to bite back some very uncharacteristic words. She took a calming breath, determined not to let _that woman _make her lose her cool.

"Hello, Miss President. What can I do for you at this early hour?"

"Kikukawa-san, could I see you in the council room, please?" Shizuru's voice came over the line, far too cheerfully. Yukino felt a twinge in her stomach, but managed in the same untroubled, formal tone, "Yes, Miss President, I'll be there as soon as I am able." Yukino was not prone to anger, but the more she thought about this little situation the more aggravated she got. She was fairly confident that Shizuru would refrain from doing anything to worsen the situation but... _It certainly wouldn't kill her to be a little less cryptic. _Yukino threw on today's set of clothes and, considering for a moment, she even slipped on her executive armband; if Haruka had to work today she couldn't do any less. She finished by running a brush through her hair, for all the good it did, and then set off swiftly for the council room.

"So, Suzushiro-san, are you sure you wish to make this request?" Shizuru inquired, looking quite pleased with herself. Haruka's eyebrow twitched, more than a little annoyed at the woman's smug expression, but managed to communicate her answer calmly enough.

"Yes, President, I believe it would be in the best interest of the school. Having-" Haruka was interrupted as the council door was unceremoniously thrown open, an apparently miffed Yukino entering. Seeing _two_ occupants of the room staring back at her, the harsh words she had prepared fled her and she gaped like some strange, tousle-haired fish.

"Haruka-chan!" Yukino found her voice, running in and catching her friend in a tight embrace, "What are you still doing here, I thought you were leaving this morning?" Haruka was a bit flustered at this display from her friend, especially in front of the council president, and disengaged herself stiffly from Yukino's surprisingly strong grasp.

"Well, as I was just explaining to President Fujino, this operation would run more smoothly with two personnel working on it. I was making an official request that you be allowed to accompany me, as you are the most qualified individual to handle some of the duties associated with this assignment." Haruka said this as formally as ever, but neither Yukino nor Shizuru could have missed the faint pink tinge that colored her cheeks, though nothing else in her firm countenance would have given her away. In the somewhat awkward silence that followed, Shizuru took her chance to speak.

"Well then, Suzushiro-san, request granted. Would you please do me a favor, and go get Kikukawa-san's computer from your room? I'm afraid I left mine at home, and I shouldn't like for her to pay for a train ticket and hotel room that could be covered by the school, yes? I just need to access some websites so I can make the required changes. I will explain everything about the assignment to Kikukawa-san while you are gone."

"Hmm? Sorry, President, but it belongs to Yukino. You need to ask her." Yukino was surprised: Haruka usually took her agreement and cooperation as a given. _Did Shizuru say something I should know about? _

"It's okay, Haruka-chan, I don't have any problem with that." Yukino finished with a grateful smile. Haruka nodded, then turned and left the room. Yukino couldn't help but stare questioningly at her retreating form, before Shizuru interrupted her speculation on the woman's behavior.

"Well, Kikukawa-san, it certainly seemed as though you were upset a moment ago. Were you planning on directing those assuredly unpleasant words at me?" Shizuru had such a knack for making others feel uncomfortable about disagreeing with her, or having any kind of confrontation with her, but Yukino had seen enough such tricks used on Haruka often enough to be mentally prepared for it.

"Yes, they were. Just what are you playing at, Shizuru-san? I'm confused- what you said you would do and what you're doing appear to be two entirely different things, and I would very much like you to explain that."

"Ah, you worry too much Kikukawa-san! Everything is going according to plan. I take it Suzushiro-san didn't inform you of her plan to include you in this assignment? I was rather certain she would come to that decision- I told you that she cared a good deal for you- but I also thought she would have mentioned it. No pillow talk for you two then?" Yukino sighed, it was no use trying to verbally spar like this with Shizuru, so she decided to try a tactic more worthy of Haruka: Just be stubborn.

"Shizuru-san… I not sure what to think about this. I sincerely hope you weren't planning on operating on assumptions and hopes this entire time, but let's forget that for now. Perhaps the larger question is, how is adding an extra assignment in agreement with what you said before?" Yukino refused to let the woman dance around that issue; she was going to get an explanation here and now.

"Kikukawa-san, Suzushiro-san won't be gone for all that long. Would you like me to take the time to explain my entire plan, or do you think I should perhaps do what I said, and explain the assignment to you? I could do the former if you wish, but _you _will have to explain to Suzushiro-san what we were discussing during this time, and why you have no knowledge of the 'actual' assignment." Or at least Yukino thought she was going to get an explanation, Shizuru had her backed into a corner now. _Yet another round conceded to the president then._

"Fine then, President, explain this little task then." _What have I gotten myself into? _Everything had seemed so straightforward the day before, so simple. She and Shizuru had made a connection, she knew they had… _But some things never change I guess._

"Good, Kikukawa-san, just trust me. You and Suzushiro-san are to be ambassadors of Fuuka Academy for a party of individuals considering the enrollment of their children. They wish to first visit the campus to ensure it meets with their expectations and assuredly high standards in an educational facility. Your duties will be twofold. First, you are to meet them from their flight at the Kansai International Airport. In case you haven't come to the conclusion yet, they are from abroad and are quite wealthy, which is why we would rather like them to enroll. Second, They will be recovering from their flight at a nearby hotel for one day and one night, before traveling to the academy on the next. You and Suzushiro-san will be arriving one day early to familiarize yourself with the city and the hotel so as to be able to guide them; you will be staying there as well. Our representatives must appear capable, confident, and knowledgeable at all times; so it is imperative that you use the time you are given to familiarize yourself with the area. Do you understand everything so far?"

Yukino understood all right, and was grudgingly impressed at how quickly such a scenario had been planned, but was still confused about just how this was fitting into Shizuru's earlier statement. This still didn't seem like "time off" of any sort. Shizuru might think that getting away from the school grounds counted somehow, but Yukino knew that Haruka would be focused on the assignment, as usual, which was what this "vacation" was supposed to circumvent. Yukino was about to point this out, but was forced to hold her tongue as Haruka made her return to the room, holding out the computer for the president.

"Thank you, Suzushiro-san, Kikukawa-san. I'm very grateful to both of you for letting me use this." Shizuru accepted the laptop from Haruka and flipped it open, logging on to the wireless network and accessing the necessary information. "I just need to make a change with the transportation and hotel reservations…." She typed a few moments in silence, "And there. Finished." Shizuru closed the computer and handed the it to Yukino, smiling at both of them.

"I've explained the situation to Kikukawa-san. Now I think both of you need to go pack. Make sure you bring some nice dress-clothing for greeting them at the airport, first impressions are everything. They can see the school uniforms the next day, when you are to be discussing the school. Go ahead and bring something comfortable and casual as well, for the first day there. You'll be doing quite a bit of walking about after all. Hurry now: the train will be leaving from the station at eight ten, sharp." Shizuru rose and gently guided them to the door, waving to them once they had gone through it. Yukino was a little irritated, and just a bit disappointed. Irritated because Shizuru could be quite the slippery little eel when she wanted to be, and disappointed because it looked like Shizuru's plan was a bit less than she had expected. _This sure doesn't look like it's miraculously going to get Haruka to…_

"So, Yukino, the President explained everything, right? About the prospective students, and our responsibilities as representatives?"

"Yes, Haruka-chan, she covered everything." Common sense told Yukino to leave well enough alone, but she couldn't help ask a question that had been burning in her mind, a question she needed to hear Haruka answer herself, "Haruka-chan? Why exactly did you think I needed to come along? It's not that I'm complaining," She added hurriedly, smiling and closing her eyes, waving her hands in front of her as if to physically dispel any such suspicion from the other woman's mind, "I'm just curious as to what you need me to do."

"Ah, that is… I feel that two people would make a more appropriate welcoming committee for such important guests. Also, I could use your help in making sure that all their questions get answered satisfactorily. If they happen to ask me anything about the students, for example, I believe I may find it difficult to say something positive. You're also a very organized person, Yukino, and I just thought that having you along might make everything run smoother. Um… so, yes."

"I got it, Haruka-chan, I won't let you down." Yukino smiled disarmingly at Haruka, secretly amused, and not a little flattered, at the sight of Haruka's babbling and the slight pink tinge that appeared on her cheeks, in sharp contrast to the serious expression that remained fixed on her features. Oh sure, everything that she had said was _technically _true, but Yukino knew Haruka better than that after all these years. Even if she was only trying to make up for the previous evening, Haruka _was _showing some consideration towards more than her responsibilities as an executive, and that was more than Yukino had expected to see at this point.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, each of them burdened with their conflicted feelings on this new development in their lives. They reached their room soon, and entered, packing away their changes of clothes and other necessities in continued silence. Yukino absent-mindedly patted her chest to make sure one item was still there before proceeding to her other chores. She packed her spare school uniform, the outfit she had selected the previous night as her casual attire, and thought hard about what she could wear that would qualify as "elegant". It didn't take her too long, as she remembered a present Mai had given her following the Festival. She pulled out the sleeveless red dress Mai had sewn for her, just about identical to the one she had been provided for a stage costume at the HiME Ranger party. She hadn't yet worn it, for obvious reasons, when did she ever get the opportunity to? As she took it down and loosely folded it to fit her case, she noticed a card on the inside: _For when Yukino-chan finally wants to stand out, I hope this helps- Mai._ Yukino smiled, and was a little self-conscious that she hadn't found this card until long after the fact. _I guess we'll find out if it's going to help._ Yukino curiously looked over to Haruka, but the woman had finished her packing already, so Yukino couldn't see what she had chosen.

When all was finished, they had one suitcase packed apiece. Haruka disliked to travel over-burdened, and Yukino was just reserved by nature, careful and deliberate in almost everything she did, including packing. They set off towards town, planning on flagging down a taxi to take them to the train station. Yukino was the first to break the silence established by their activity.

"Won't this be fun, Haruka-chan? I mean, it's nice to be doing something again, things have been really quiet for a while. It seemed like we were always busy before, but it was still fun when we could work together so much..." Yukino fell silent, she hadn't meant to say so much, but Haruka could see her friend's eyes sparkle with repressed anticipation as she spoke. _I guess I did the right thing_. Deep down, though, she still wished the assignment had never come up- it felt like a cheap substitute for getting to spend actual quality time with her partner, but Haruka would never shirk her duty. Nevertheless, Yukino's attitude was dangerously infectious, and Haruka had to force herself to maintain a degree of formality when she answered.

"I'm sure it will be enjoyable, but don't make more out of this than what it is. We are at work, and for now we need to concentrate on keeping our timetable." Yukino checked her mobile; it was nearing eight o'clock by now; they really did have to hurry.

Nine minutes later they jumped out of a taxi, dropping some money in the front seat as they made their way towards the train station, looking for their number as they ran. They managed to get to the platform only seconds before the last call for passengers went out, and clambered on, walking through a few compartments before finding an empty one near the back. Haruka let Yukino take a seat first, finding her own one closer to the door. Haruka didn't want Yukino to be the first one to encounter any dangerous deviant that decided to burst in. She doubted anything of the sort would happen, but one could never be too careful. They both stretched out as comfortably as they could in the seats, looking out the window as the train began passing the outskirts of town, just beginning to enter the countryside. As they watched the landscape go by , they both started to get drowsy, the events of the last twenty-four hours catching up with them, especially Haruka, who hadn't managed to get any sleep at all the previous night _or _enjoy her usual morning coffee. They both nodded off, despite Haruka's struggle to the contrary, and both enjoyed a most peaceful sleep for a change.

Yukino woke up when she heard a conductor walk through the train, telling everybody to prepare to unload because they were nearing their destination. She noticed a weight on her thigh, and looked down to see Haruka peacefully snoring while using her leg as a pillow of sorts. Yukino smiled, Haruka must have inadvertently shifted about in her sleep, trying to get more comfortable. Yukino hated to wake her, but knew she had too, but first gently picked Haruka up and settled her into a less awkward sitting position for when she awoke. Only then did she gently but firmly nudge her friends shoulder, telling her that they were about to arrive. Haruka awoke gradually, stretching out in a most contented feline manner, after enjoying the best rest she had gotten since... well, since yesterday, but it had been even better today for some reason. _I wonder if I'll ever get to rest this well in an actual bed. _She wondered sleepily.

Yukino got up and stretched herself, relieving the stiffness in her legs and retrieving their scant luggage from under the seat. Soon enough, they felt the train begin to slow, nearing its destination. They picked up their packs, and went out into the corridor, joining the other few who were just now starting to leave their own compartments. Haruka led the way through the quickly-forming crowd of other travelers. They provided their ticket stub to the conductor, and stepped out into the train station in Osaka. It was a struggle for the two girls to not gape at the magnitude of what confronted them: A sea of people restrained only by tall buildings. If the masses of people going about their lives were any indication, it was business as usual for this place. Neither of them had ever been into the heart of a major city like this, and the feeling of smallness was tangible as they faced such a sight for the first time. Televisions and stereos in store windows and displays added to the buzz of noise that permeated the environment. People of all standings scurried about, on the same streets together though seemingly not aware of one another. Haruka was the first to become irritated with her gawking and brought them back to the business at hand: locating their hotel.

"That Bubuzuke woman said the hotel was near the station. The Hotel Nickel Osaka-"

"Hotel Nikko Osaka..."

"Whatever, somebody around here must be able to give us some simple instructions to finding it." Haruka nodded, having made up her mind on the matter, and quickly went to the edge of the passing populace, plucked out a person by his sleeve, and asked him matter-of-factly, "Can you tell us where the Hotel Neko Osaka is?"

The poor fellow that Haruka had snagged appeared to be in his thirties, but faced with this young woman's directness, unwavering stare, and demanding expression...well, he wasn't made of that stern a stuff, luckily for Even better, he knew the answer.

"Hotel Nikko Osaka?" he sputtered, "It...that is, it's down that way a few blocks," He gestured off behind him but didn't break from Haruka's patented cobra-gaze, "It's...a tall white building. The only hotel for a good ways in that direction. You can't miss it."

Satisfied, Haruka let the man go, and he quickly fled, fading into the crowd of people. Haruka and Yukino stood there for a few long moments, looking uncertainly at the throng, neither relishing the thought of entering it themselves. Resigning herself to the unavoidable, Haruka tersely said, "Come Yukino, let's go." Before grabbing the other girl's hand and pulling her into the crowd.

That turned out to be a blessing, Haruka grabbing her hand like that, as they found themselves jostled and shoved at every step. Haruka, who was by now used to people giving her a wide berth when she walked through a crowd, quickly became irritated by the constant collisions, and put on her very best angry expression, trying to bull her way through the crowd. This utterly failed to work, as she only succeeded in irritating other people, and receiving more pushes and shoves for her trouble. Yukino sighed, and pulled Haruka close, whispering into her ear, "Follow me", Before making her way swiftly and gracefully through the crowd. Yukino was non-confrontational by nature, and had become quite skilled at weaving through large groups of people when alone. _It's been a while since I've had to do this though. Usually I just follow in the path Haruka-chan provides_.

Haruka wasn't good at anything but the most direct path available, but did her best to match Yukino's side-stepping and twisting about. Just as she felt she was getting the hang of it, she felt Yukino shake her hand and looked up, seeing the hotel they would be staying at for the first time.

"It's pretty impressive, I guess," she grudgingly admitted. In truth, it was magnificent, a pristine white building with tall glass windows on every floor rose more than thirty stories, looming over them. They hurried into the lobby area and found the reception desk within. Haruka asserted her lead once more, this being more her area of skill than soft-spoken Yukino's, and slammed her hand on the desk, demanding the undivided attention of the host.

"We have a room reservation under the names Kikukawa and Suzushiro, of Fuuka Academy. Please, direct us towards our room." Despite what her words might have suggested, there was absolutely no "request" in Haruka's statement. With a glance at her stony expression and unyielding demeanor, the man thought that it would be best not to argue about little points of etiquette with the loud girl in front of him. _My, my, how savage the Japanese youth are these days._ The aging fellow quickly looked up the names in the computer registry, but when the results came up he was surprised enough that his polite expression faltered.

"Is there a problem?" Haruka asked, eyebrow raised. The man coughed, looking between the two girls, and back at the screen, and back again, before deciding it would be best to say something, before the loud one got violent. _She looks like she might do it! What has happened to our people?_

"Ah, no ma'am, there's no problem at all, besides there being no mention of the school. It's just that…but I suppose these things are more common now...I was just surprised. I sincerely apologize for my breach of decorum." He took a deep breath, "You will be staying in room 3409. I shall take you up there now."

Yukino and Haruka exchanged glances at the man's odd behavior, but decided not to ask. He first tried to take their bags, but Haruka motioned him away: they could certainly manage their small amount of luggage! So he shrugged, and motioned for them to follow, making his way to an elevator. Floor thirty-four looked like the other floors upon which several people had debarked from the lift, but the desk manager's disposition still seemed to indicate that something was amiss with the situation. They reached the room, and the employee unlocked the door with his key card. Haruka walked in, and turned on the light, Yukino at her heels.

Yukino also happened to be the one to recover first from the shock of seeing their quarters, and took it upon herself to question the balding man behind them, though she knew there was no mistake, not with Shizuru having made the reservations.

"Ah, sir, there seems to have been some sort of mistake with our reservation, is there any possibility of a room change?"

"I am terribly sorry ma'am, but with the convention in session... That is, I'm sorry that there seems to have been some mix-up, but we have no other rooms available at this time. However, it is still a quite serviceable room, and very...comfortable… as you can see." All this was said as he was slowly backing away, casting what he thought to be surreptitious worried glances at Haruka's back. He then politely excused himself, ducking out of the room before the loud, violent woman- _Is she a lady or a monster?-_ could turn back to him, which likely would have happened, as Haruka managed to progress past stunned silence to incoherent rage soon after he left. Even with what she had seen in the past, Yukino would never have imagined that Shizuru would do something so spectacularly…inappropriate. _I've created a monster. That's all there is to it, Shizuru has lost her mind._

"The bubuzuke-onna and her goof-up! What will the other guests think? Oooh, when I get my hands on her, I'll...I'll…" Haruka wasn't able to form any words past that, but was very ferocious looking as she glared, growling and strangling the air before her. Yukino decided to leave her traveling companion to her destroy-Shizuru pantomiming, and turned a critical eye to the place that would be their home for the next couple of days. It was quite obviously one of the honeymoon suites of the Nikko Osaka, complete with a single huge, heart-shaped bed dressed in red silk coverings. _Well, the room isn't so bad, really. Sure, the color scheme may be on the red-and-pink side, but it's not glaring._ It was fairly large too, with a traditional bathing room presumably through a side door, and a balcony through a set of sliding glass doors, currently curtained. They had a little kitchen area specially set up with a tea kettle and coffee pot, which was a nice change from most hotels' habit of keeping such things in the bathroom, and they even had a little closet. Besides the bed, Yukino couldn't see anything overtly "romantic" about the room, but just the fact that they were staying on what was apparently the newlyweds' floor was bound to raise some eyebrows, _And Haruka-chan most definitely does not enjoy eyebrows raised in her direction._ With that thought, Yukino glanced back at her partner, who seemed to have finally throttled phantom-Shizuru to her hearts content, and was looking about the room herself. Yukino sat down on the bed to wait for her conclusion, and was pleasantly surprised. _Oh wow, this is...unbelievable!_ She couldn't resist laying down on the velvet-textured, squashy bed , and closed her eyes; it had been a long day after all, and it wasn't even half done. Her eyes opened as she felt a weight settle down beside her, and saw Haruka sitting down on the edge of the bed, still looking irritated, but calm enough to talk now.

"Well, Yukino, we can't let some little mistake throw us off of our objective here. This room will be serviceable; we can stay here for as long as necessary. This is no problem. No problem at all. For now, let's unpack. We can't make a good impression with wrinkled clothing."

"Yes, Haruka-chan. It won't be so bad, we won't be spending too much time here anyways. At least the bed is comfortable." Yukino finished with a cheery smile, trying to relieve the dour expression on her friend's face. Haruka did manage a weak smile in return, happy that Yukino was okay with the arrangements at least.

"Yukino, I'm going to go get some air, come get me if you need anything."

"Yes, Haruka-chan, I'll stay here and set up my computer, and then see about unpacking."

Yukino unloaded her laptop from her case while Haruka walked past her toward the doors leading to their balcony. As she was scouting about for an outlet to plug into, she was startled by the sound of Haruka shouting for her from out on the balcony.

"Yukino! Come over here!" Yukino got up, swiftly running out to see what was wrong.

"What is it, Haruka-chan?" Yukino queried, she only saw Haruka standing there, looking out at…

"I thought you'd like this." Haruka smiled at Yukino's awed expression, though she wouldn't admit that her own face had looked much the same a moment ago. Haruka walked back and pulled Yukino forward by her arm to the railing. "You can see it better if you actually come out here," she explained. The late morning sun shone on the expanse of the city, glittering on the glass and steel buildings that sprinkled with the landscape, seemingly tending their "children," the shorter buildings that formed the heart of Osaka. Yukino leaned out on her elbows, trying to see as much as possible. Haruka maintained a more upright stance, unconsciously challenging, no daring, the city to come up with something she couldn't handle. Yukino noticed that Haruka hadn't released her grasp on her arm, but didn't say anything. They looked out over the landscape, seeing the tiny little people below still milling about, always going, never seeming to get there. _It makes me feel...small,_ Yukino mused, not knowing that Haruka was thinking along the same lines, but with a great deal less awe and far more irritation: Haruka and insignificance did not work well together. Yukino felt that grip tighten almost imperceptibly on her shoulder, and looked up and Haruka's face, a visage of determined resolution tinged with the tiniest edge of doubt. Yukino reached up and laid her hand on Haruka's, just resting it there, and she saw Haruka look down with that wonderful, unbelievably caring expression she had seen so rarely before. Then it was gone, and the usual Haruka was back, just as unwavering and dogged as before, and even more so, for that little worm of doubt was gone now in the glow of her closest friend's absolute confidence.


	5. Chapter 5

"Naaaatsukiiii, I'm home." Shizuru slid gracefully through the door to Natsuki's dorm, eyes casting about for her loved one with a playful gleam. _Kikukawa-san and Suzushiro-san are off on their trip now. What can I do but pass the time with my lovely companion?_

"Shizuru. I'm in here…." came the seemingly distracted response. A slight worried frown pulling the corner of her mouth, Shizuru followed the voice into the dormitory proper, where she discovered Natsuki sitting in front of their laptop. _My laptop, actually, but she refused to let me get her one. Something about not liking the cute pink one I chose for her._ Shizuru stopped behind Natsuki, draping her arms around her, and lowered her face down to rest on the biker girl's lithe shoulder. She felt a movement, and glanced over to see a pair of piercing emerald eyes staring into her own.

"Shizuru…. I was just using your computer and… I don't mean to be nosy, but I noticed that you have a website saved on here, for making reservations at this high-class hotel in Osaka... one the newlywed suite specifically. Were you making some plans I should know about?" Natsuki frowned, and Shizuru went into damage control.

"Doesn't Natsuki trust me? Have I done something to make her concerned?" Shizuru whispered this, leaning her head closer, and rested her cheek against Natsuki's silky hair. _I forgot to delete that last night? Ah, Natsuki, some things were just more important then._ She slowly worked her hands lower, brushing them here... and there... Natsuki's blush deepened as it dawned on her that she was already losing control of the situation and firmly, if somewhat reluctantly, disengaged herself from the devious woman's embrace, rising from her seat to face Shizuru.

"Shizuru! Not right now. If I spoiled a surprise or something, sorry, but..." Even as she said it, Natsuki couldn't help but feel there was something wrong with the notion. Shizuru was always thinking of little things for the two of them to do together, that was nothing new, so what could have made the woman so preoccupied the past day? Of course, Shizuru was a little more difficult to read than most, but of her distraction Natsuki was fairly certain.

"No worries, Natuski. I was but returning a favor owed, nothing more. There's no need to trouble yourself over such things; can we not think of something more enjoyable to while away our with?"

"Shizuru..." Natsuki looked at her warningly, "If you're ever going to try to mislead me, at least make it believable. Since when do you _ever _owe anybody a 'favor'? And even if that were true, you've been worried about something the past day, haven't you? Don't answer that, I can tell. I know you wouldn't be worried about just returning a favor. We can stay here all day if you want to, I'm not going anywhere until I get an answer from you." As long as she knew for sure this wasn't some surprise for her, Natsuki had absolutely no qualms trying to figure out what had been bothering the other woman.

"Well Natsuki, I can think of several splendid little ways you could interrogate me, but most of them would be much more fun to do elsewhere. I guess this desk is a little small and somewhat cluttered, not at all like the council room. Of course, if that's what you want we can surely--"

"Shizuru!" The woman sighed, she hadn't really expected that to distract Natsuki too much, but it had been worth a try. Meanwhile, Natsuki was reaching her wit's end. She wasn't a patient person, despite her threats, and really wanted to find out what was going on _now_! Especially with Shizuru trying so hard to keep it a secret… _I'll find out at any cost_! Natsuki felt a devious smile creep over her face, _Two can play at that game_.

"Well, it seems like you only have one thing on your mind right now, Shizuru. Here, I'll make you a deal; we'll trade. You tell me what I want to know, and then... use your imagination." _After all, what's the worst that Shizuru can think of?_ Natsuki had heard plenty of lewd comments in seedy bars over the better part of the last couple of years, and was confident that a woman of Shizuru's "proper" upbringing wouldn't be able to come up with anything she couldn't handle.

"My, Natsuki is such a good negotiator! That sounds like a good idea." Shizuru couldn't believe Natsuki had so generously provided the solution to the dilemma she had created. "Though, it wouldn't be fair for you to agree before you know the conditions… here are my terms then." Shizuru was almost sorry she had to say that, because she had started thinking of some truly interesting ideas... but the purpose of this was to keep Kikukawa-san's secret, so it had to be done. _After Natsuki hears this, there's no way she'll proceed any further into the matter. I suppose I can sneak these plans in some other day._ "Okay! First we…" Shizuru began laying out her conditions, gleefully noting Natsuki's complexion once again reddening with every word. _You can't win, Natsuki, it's almost regrettable…_

Several minute later, Shizuru stopped, taking pity on the dazed green eyes she saw before her. "So then, Natsuki, do you agree to my terms?" Judging from Natsuki's scarlet features and the way she was slumped over the desk, Shizuru was utterly convinced that the matter was closed. She was mildly surprised that Natsuki had listened to the entire proposition without interruption, but it didn't look like that mattered... _Natsuki can be so innocent sometimes, it's cute. _Natsuki, however, was still doggedly clinging to the thought of helping her loved one with... At this thought, Natsuki remembered her silent vow from earlier. _At any cost... _She was definitely regretting that now. More, Natsuki also hated to lose. With these factors in mind, Natsuki steeled her resolve and raised her head, flashing a shaky smile.

"Uh.. yea, Shizuru, that sounds…. like... fun!" Natsuki couldn't help her voice cracking as she forced the words out of her mouth, and she felt her cheek give an involuntary twitch, but she kept going, "Your terms are... accepted, so why don't you..." Natsuki trailed off as she saw genuine shock spread across her lover's face. Shizuru's jaw had dropped, her little smirk instantly erased. She tried desperately to regain some measure of self-possession, but such serenity eluded her. Nevertheless, she was still Fujino Shizuru, and she still knew how to change strategy on the run, if necessary. She buried her face in her hands, and did her best to seem absolutely distraught… which wasn't all that far off base, all things considered. She had been backed into a corner, and Shizuru didn't react well in that kind of situation.

"How can you so mean Natsuki? I really don't want to betray the trust of a friend, you see. After all, I shouldn't be telling others about what is her business." Shizuru wasn't being dishonest; she didn't feel right discussing Yukino's problem with anybody else. However, even this, her last ditch effort, was not enough to deter the other woman. Natsuki decided it was time to start being more serious, seeing her loved one in this state.

"Shizuru, wasn't it you who was just talking about trust a minute ago?" Natsuki got up and walked over to Shizuru, laying one hand on the woman's shoulder and lifting her face with the other, "You can tell me anything, Shizuru, you know that by now. Do you think I would go blabbing it everywhere? I don't like to see you so troubled, without not being able to help. Don't force that on me."

Shizuru sighed, she might be able to deal with Natsuki's stubbornness, but against her tender caring she was defenseless. Natsuki had even managed to make herself the injured party… _And they call _me _devious… No, I know she's being sincere._ Shizuru grasped the hand lifting her face, and laid a gentle kiss upon the supple lips before her. Shizuru didn't want to argue with Natsuki, or hide anything from her, and was actually relieved, in a way, that Natsuki had worked her way in like this. Drawing back from the kiss, Shizuru let her smirk return to lighten her slightly teary visage. However… something still had yet to be resolved, and Shizuru wasn't one to leave loose ends lying about.

"Natsuki, I want to tell you everything now, I really do, but a deal _is_ a deal. I don't want us to start lying to each other now, not when you've gotten me to be honest." And with that statement, Shizuru started walking towards the bedroom, drawing Natsuki by the hand she had craftily gotten hold of a moment ago.

"Hey wait, I meant you would tell me first, and--"

"Now now, you never said _anything _of the sort Natsuki. How was I supposed to know? Come now, Natsuki, relax, this could still be fun if you try to enjoy yourself." Grinning roguishly, Shizuru pulled the reluctant woman all the way into the room, and closed the door with a soft click. To Natsuki, that clicked sounded terribly final, and she resigned herself to a long, long, _long _day at home.

"That hippie! She has no _conceivable _idea of proprietary-"

"Propriety, Haruka-chan."

"...does she? She never has! Always just sitting around, drinking her tea… maybe if she would put her tea down for a moment, she wouldn't have made such a stupid mistake! I thought I could at least count on her to plan something _this _simple, she's usually pretty good at managing things... " Haruka realized she was getting close to saying more than she really wanted to, and fell silent, but continued to fume and glower at the perfectly innocent furnishings of the room.

Yukino sighed, wondering what would happen next on this excursion. Shizuru was probably sitting back at the academy now, enjoying a fine laugh at the thought of their situation. She briefly entertained the notion that Shizuru had somehow planned the occurrence on the balcony that had forced them back indoors, but dismissed it as preposterous. That was just a couple in the building deciding to enjoy the balcony as well… in a very vocal and wholly unashamed manner, yes, but not anything that required further explanation. Haruka had finally began to adjust to the idea of staying here, and then something like _that _had to happen...

"Yukino! It's time to get started on our assignment. First, you call room service and get us something small and quick to eat, to keep our energy up for the day ahead. While we're waiting we can _finally _unpack and dress appropriately for the city. We can begin our reconnaissance of the area afterward. I will _not _let that bubuzuke woman and her incompetence stop me." Haruka had finally settled back down, obviously. Yukino smiled, Haruka may have been unbalanced by recent events, but she wouldn't let anything phase her in the long run, that just wasn't her. Yukino nodded a happy affirmation, and stepped over to the phone while Haruka commenced spreading out our her clothing like a soldier preparing his arsenal for battle. Studying the room phone, Yukino located the number for room service and dialed.

"Hello, this is Kikukawa Yukino in room --"

"3409, correct?" The woman on the other end of the line finished for her. Yukino was thrown by this newest surprise, but she was getting used to that by now, and quickly developed a sneaking suspicion…

"Yes. May I ask how you knew this?"

"We already have your order ready to go, ma'am. It was on hold pending your call, we'll send it right up." Before Yukino could ask anything more, she heard the "click" of a hastily replaced receiver. Over in the room service station, the hotel employee quickly picked up the phone once more, to keep her line busy. She motioned for the other two in the area to do the same, as their manager had instructed. They were to hold up every line connecting to room service for the next fifteen minutes after getting a call from one Kikukawa Yukino. Nobody knew why, but their manager had been very adamant about it. They were just employees, what business was it of theirs to question the management?

_Busy signal, busy signal…_ Yukino kept trying to reach room service again, but it looked like they had received a flurry of business, how odd. Could this be another part of Shizuru's… _No, I really need to quit being so suspicious, not every unusual happening has to have Shizuru-san pulling the strings. _Through her speculation she noticed that the sound of Haruka's activity had ceased, and turned to see the woman looking expectantly at her.

"Yukino? Were you able to get through? Do I need to go down there myself and make sure they pay attention?" Yukino hastily reassured her friend, trying to think of something satisfactory to say.

"No, Haruka-chan, there's no need. I was able to order, it should be here in just a matter of minutes, no worries."

"Good, what did you get?" Haruka inquired, gathering her change of clothing. Yukino winced, she had hoped to avoid this question.

"Well, Haruka-chan, they told me of a… special they were serving today, so I decided to just order that for the sake of convenience. I'm not entirely sure what it's composed of, but I thought it would be time better spent preparing myself for our work today."

"That's thinking practically Yukino, good job. Let's use that time then." Yukino expelled a breath she hadn't known she was holding, relieved, and got down to business. She pulled her clothes out of her pack and smoothed them out the best she could, hanging her spare school uniform and dress next to Haruka's- where had Haruka gotten that green dress? Yukino couldn't remember- in the closet, while putting her other clothes off to the side to change into in a moment.

"Haruka-chan, what do you think we should do first? Shouldn't we have some sort of agenda for today, I mean?"

"Yes, that's just what we need to help get us organized after Fujino's screw ups. Go get your computer and we can--" Haruka was interrupted by the sound of knocking upon their door, "That was fast. At least we have quick service around here." Yukino tried not to be conspicuous in her haste as she walked towards the door, her apprehension growing with each step. _This just wasn't going to end well. I can feel it…_ Mustering her nerve, Yukino gathered her expression into a reasonable facsimile of calmness, and opened the door. Outside was a man dressed in garb identifying him as an employee, pushing a trolley with several covered dishes on the top, and an odd collection of colorfully wrapped boxes on the bottom. The fellow did a slight double-take as he saw the occupants of the room for the first time, but he kept his wits about him much more effectively than had the concierge. He merely pushed the cart into the room, and excused himself.

"Here you are ma'am, just call when you wish somebody to come retrieve the cart. Please enjoy your…meal." With that he stepped back outside, closed the door and returned quickly to the service station where his fellow staff members waited eagerly to hear of what he had seen of the mysterious occupants of room 3049 and the strange circumstances surrounding their visit.

Yukino galnced between the cart and her partner with trepidation at what was to come, and was even about to run after the employee and request that he take the order back, but Haruka destroyed that avenue of escape when she walked up and resolutely began inspecting the items on the trolley. Yukino still had no idea what the items were, but she could only imagine. _After all, Shizuru-san is behind it. Oh dear..._ To try to preserve some degree of innocence, Yukino assisted in the inspection, trying to look less guilty than she felt. It wasn't as bad as she had begun to imagine, fortunately, but it certainly was not the most innocent "meal" ever. There were trays of assorted small fruits and fruit pieces, there was a bowl of chocolate fondue complete with a dish of strawberries, there were servings of creams and honey, cakes and other assorted desserts… it kept going on from there. They glanced at each other, and silently agreed that they did have to see this through to the end. They tackled the boxes on the bottom next; they weren't arranged so gracefully as the above items, but that somehow made their significance even harder to overlook. In the boxes they found more common cans of whipped cream, bottles of chocolate syrup, and several bottles of some sparkling beverage, which Yukino was relieved to note was not alcoholic. _At least Shizuru kept _that _much of her sanity…even if that isn't enough to prove that she hasn't entirely lost her mind. _Of course, there were no utensils to use- it was all to obvious that this "meal" was not meant to be eaten in a traditional fashion.

"Oh, Haruka-chan, I'm so sorry! I guess that the 'special' only applied to our floor, I didn't know." Which was technically true... she really didn't know, but she still didn't like the taste of dishonesty on her tongue, nor its familiarity.

"No, it's not your fault Yukino, this whole thing goes back to _other _mistakes... Gaah, This entire thing is my fault! I should have known better than to trust that compacent, tea-drinking bubuzuke woman to handle this kind of operation. This is just something we'll have to deal with. I'm going to go change, try and find something worth eating there; we're not ordering again." Haruka violently snatched her clothes and whisked off into the bathroom.

Yukino sighed, and plucked a strawberry from a dish, watching after her companion. She wasn't really hungry, but she didn't want Haruka to worry. Yukino began changing as well, judging from the angry sounds Haruka was making in the other room she had a few minutes to spare. After that she continued her previously abandoned project of setting up her laptop. Who could tell? Perhaps Haruka would still want to form some kind of agenda. Opening the lid, Yukino was also pleased to note that this hotel had free wireless service, and habitually checked the executive e-mail for new messages. Yukino sighed and momentarily brought a hand to her temple as if in pain. Now _what does she want?_ What now, what could possibly happen now… _Only one way to find out_. Yukino sighed again and opened the message, thinking that perhaps she needn't worry. _Would Shizuru-san really send anything sensitive to the official executive mail service? _In what was becoming a well-practiced moved, Yukino sighed again. _She would, of course._

Greetings, Kikukawa-san. I believe that when you finally get around to reading this, Suzushiro-san will not be hovering about. In fact, I feel quite strongly that she has other things to think about by this time. What do you think so far? I do hope you've enjoyed my more overt touches; the room is quite lovely, wouldn't you agree? I also happen to know a few of the personnel very well, and have a few other contacts in the corporation, so rest assured that there will be no "telling of tales" from any of the staff. How I wish I could have seen Suzushiro-san's expression out there on the balcony. I will leave you to your thoughts and your Executive Director now; I merely wished to check in. Oh, I hope you also enjoy the repast I had prepared for you. Truly, it sounded quite delectable as I described it for them. Is chocolate-coated Suzushiro-san on the menu for tonight?

Yours sincerely,

Fujino Shizuru

After Yukino finished reading the message, she deleted it and closed off the network, rubbing her temples to relieve the slight headache she had just incurred. She got up and made her way over to the bed, and lay down, trying to digest what she had just learned… and not think over-much about a chocolate-coated-- She violently shook her head, this was not the time for that, she had more important things to consider. _Like how I'm going to keep the worst of this from Haruka-chan… this can't be all that Shizuru-san has up her sleeves, can it?_

"Shizuru, has anybody ever told you what a conniving, decidedly devious individual you are? How could you do this to Yukino, of all people?" Natsuki directed a frown at her innocently smiling companion, drawing an equally innocent hurt look in return. Natsuki hadn't said a word as she watched Shizuru write and send her e-mail, but couldn't help but bring it up now.

"How can you say such things, Natsuki? I'm merely providing Kikukawa-san with the proper instruments for her to enjoy her time away with Suzushiro-san. Is that really so wrong?" Shizuru finished sweetly.

"Shizuru, we made a deal and it's time for you to hold up your end of it. We both know that I held up mine…" Natsuki trailed off, averting her eyes while Shizuru smirked at the motions of modesty. Natsuki couldn't fool her: she had enjoyed Shizuru's ministrations thoroughly. At the same time, she sighed inwardly. _Well, we _did _make a deal. For my Natsuki, I will always hold my end up. Especially after...oh my, I wonder if we can make these "deals" more often?_

"Natsuki can be so little fun." Shizuru pouted for effect, "But if she wants to talk serious now… What exactly is it that you believe I am doing wrong?"

"It's this whole situation Shizuru," Natsuki pursed her lips, searching for the right words, "I know you want to help Yukino, but I don't think this is something that can be helped. You and I both know what our Executive Director is like, we both heard what she's said, she only recently stopped muttering comments about "inappropriateness" whenever she saw _us _together. Can you honestly tell me that anything would make her open to this idea of yours? I think all this is going to end up doing is hurting people."

"Natsuki is such a pessimist. I am well aware of Suzushiro-san's past actions and expressed attitudes, but you must also realize that,. while she only recently stopped with her comments, she _has _stopped. In response to your inquiry about her 'openness' to Kikukawa-san's feelings, I present you with another question: Can you tell me whom she _could _be potentially open to aside from Kikukawa-san? And this isn't all about Suzushiro-san either, can you honestly say that Kikukawa-san would be so happy with anyone else?" Shizuru was all seriousness now as she focused her eyes on the woman before her. Natsuki was a little surprised at the quiet vehemence in the other woman's voice, she hadn't thought this was such a serious matter in Shizuru's mind, despite the lengths she had gone through to keep it secret earlier. Natsuki didn't want to admit it, but there _was _a certain unavoidable logic in that statement. There was a little discrepancy or two that needed mentioning though, so Natsuki used them to hide that admission for the moment.

"Shizuru… I, that is, for the sake of continuing this, let's assume you're right about that. How exactly is what you're doing going to help bring this about, it seems that this would just be irritating both of them, rather than helping." Shizuru smiled. _My, my, my Natsuki obviously doesn't know Suzushiro-san as well as I_. _Then again, I may be the only other person beside Kikukawa-san who knows her quite so well. I can't expect my Natsuki to know everything, right?_

"Natsuki, how little you truly know our Suzushiro-san. It's true, that these little 'mishaps' that I'm setting up are not particularly beneficial to that end, but can you think of any better way to keep Suzushiro-san off balance? She is not the kind to willingly step out of her comfortable little box, so she must be shaken out of it. And waiting there to catch her will be our Kikukawa-san. In fact, this entire situation rests on her slender , but capable, shoulders."

_Ah-ha! Now I've got you, Shizuru, you don't know everything after all._

"So why do you seem to be trying so hard to keep Yukino unbalanced as well? Why not tell her the truth, so she can be prepared for the insanity you send her way?" Natsuki was sure she had figured out one key flaw in this plan so far, something that would _at least _make Shizuru more careful in the future.

"Natsuki, Natsuki…" Shizuru shook her head, "That wouldn't be beneficial at all! Try thinking aobut it like this: Kikukawa-san is far to good a person to be able to follow through if she actually understands the careful manipulation at hand. She must have the impression, somewhere in her mind, that it is 'Haruka-chan and I against whatever that crazy bubuzuke woman throws our way'" Shizuru couldn't help but slip a giggle at referring to herself using Haruka's favorite nickname, "She needs to be focused on Suzushiro-san, to be alert for any deviations I may decide to send her . She's so honest that, were to believe that she were more a part of this scheme, rather believing she was protecting Suzushiro-san from it, she would doubtlessly feel guilty about participating. That would make her lose what self-confidence she has gathered, and she would never make any progress in this matter. She's already reproached herself enough just for having these private communications with me, even if she didn't plan most of this. The more I can possibly drive her away from me, the closer she gets to Suzushiro-san, and the more good that she can accomplish."

_Damn... well I guess she knows both of them better than I do. _Natsuki decided to throw caution to the winds, and shrugged.

"You know what, Shizuru, you have me convinced, at least on some matters. I don't know how correct you are about Suzushiro, but only time will tell." Natsuki sighed, knowing she was about to commit herself, "What can I do to help? You shouldn't have to do this alone."

"Well, Natsuki, it just so happens that I might need you to help tie up a few loose ends here at the academy. I've done what I could, but I can't personally plug every mouth with moving lips and you've some amount of experience with 'being rough,' do you not? The last thing Kikukawa-san and Suzushiro-san need when they return is wagging tongues, so why don't we work on stilling them? I'll use what resources I have at my disposal, but I need you to go amongst the students yourself, collect and control what information you are able, and possibly set some heads knocking. Be warned, this is no simple task." Harada Chie was a useful person to know, but also had a formidable talent for knowing what she should not. She was a person to hide anything and everything from and was a necessary hurdle too be taken into consideration before it was too late.

"Don't worry, Shizuru, I'll take care of my end, you just worry about whatever it is you're doing." It had been quite a while since Natsuki had gotten to rough anybody up, and she found herself almost hoping that _somebody _would be ignorant enough to try and smart-mouth her… _Nobodies going to speak of the matter when I get finished "talking" with them, that's for sure._. Natsuki could remembered how aggravating it was for her at first, dealing with the whispers and pointed fingers… and she knew that anything she did now wouldn't compare to what Suzushiro manage if she came back to face that kind of situation. _She kicked a _tank _for goodness' sake, even if I do end up injuring some punk a bit, I'd be doing them a kindness._

"I knew I could count on you Natsuki." Shizuru smiled warmly at the departing figure, walking away and turning the corner into the hall. She was about to get started on her own duties, but just as she was turning away she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Natsuki's head come back into view. Shizuru turned back.

"Shizuru… I love you." Natsuki flashed a slightly self-conscious grin at Shizuru which Shizuru tenderly returned.

"I love you too, Natsuki, be back soon." And Natsuki was off, really and truly. Shizuru offered a quick prayer to whatever power in Heaven of Earth that had brought her somebody wonderful as Natsuki. She laughed out loud as a thought struck her- Natsuki had offered a "trade" earlier, but by the look of things, she, Shizuru, had come out ahead in both aspects. Though to be sure, it hadn't seemed as though Natsuki disliked their trade over-much either… Still chuckling softly to herself, Shizuru got back to work.


	6. Chapter 6

Yukino was delivered from her musings at the sound of the bathroom door opening, and Haruka's hushed footfalls on the plush carpeting approaching. The sounds soon faded, but Yukino, still worried about Shizuru's message, and quite comfortable on the bed, was not able to bring herself to open her eyes until she heard Haruka speak.

"Oh, Yukino looks nice."

"Thank you, Haruka-chan. You look lovely too." Yukino opened her eyes now, and smiled. Haruka bit the inside of her cheek. _She looks nice, and she's awake!_ _Wait, why does it matter? There's nothing wrong with a compliment, right? _She banished the thought. Suzushiro Haruka just was not used to noticing things like that, even less to commenting on them.

Yukino cocked her head and gave the other woman a puzzled stare. Haruka had been staring off into space for a bit now… "Lovely" was _not_ _that _strong a word, was it? Besides which, it was accurate to Yukino. She had not seen Haruka in such a casual getup since junior high, and it made for an interesting change of pace.

"Um, Haruka-chan?" Yukino inquired. The other quickly snapped back to the present and resumed her focus, much to the relief of her friend.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, Yukino. Are you ready to go then?"

"Yes, Haruka-chan, I'm ready."

"Good, we'll be heading out then. Oh, and... thank you for your... assessment Yukino." Yukino felt her heart warm at Haruka's words. As she had so often told others, that really was the only way Haruka could say it.

"Did you manage to partake of anything from our… courteously provided luncheon?" Haruka put on a forced smile, not wanting to trouble Yukino with her frustrations. It wasn't Yukino's fault that this operation had been going downhill from the beginning... _Really, having Yukino along is probably the only thing that's kept me sane through this travesty._

"Yes, Haruka-chan, I ate a bit of the fruit. It was actually very good, won't you have some?" Yukino looked so concerned that Haruka couldn't bring herself to refuse, and she picked a couple of things off the top of a fancifully bawdy little display, popping a cherry in her mouth and motioning for Yukino to follow her.

"We might as well turn into vegetarians at this rate, eh Yukino?" Haruka said with a slight laugh, thinking about their recent diet. "We're going to stop somewhere for a proper meal while we're out." They then proceeded to walk out of the room, make their way to the elevator, and exit into the lobby.

"Well then, Yukino, where to go? I suggest that we go by the front desk first, and pray that our guests do not have the same… accommodation that we were stuck with. It would set a good example if we were to be able to guide them without having to get assistance from the staff, and prudent to assure a certain level of appropriateness with their arrangements. What do you think?" Yukino blinked and tried to hide her bewilderment. _Since when does Haruka even _consider _that she may not have the best plan for everything? Not a good sign… _

"Yes, Haruka-chan, that sounds like the best thing to do." Yukino put on her best supportive smile, it always seemed to cheer Haruka up to have support, whether she would admit it or not. It even seemed to work a little now, though Haruka still looked distracted and, to Yukino's trained eye, mildly distressed. She was going to have to figure out a way to prevent further "mistakes" from occurring. She sighed, _I thought Shizuru-san knew Haruka-chan better than this… what could she be thinking this will accomplish? _

Haruka might be the kind of person that could face down armies with an unblinking front, but her honesty and straightforwardness provided her little base from which she could defend herself against the duplicity she now unknowingly faced. If it were not so serious, Yukino might have laughed. Haruka had boldly braced herself and barreled through any and all obstacles she ever faced directly , but against these mundane, if unexpected, happenings, she was being slowly chipped away. Yukino looked ahead at her companion, and studied her stride. It _looked _the same: the same quick, strong steps, the same determined expression, but there was something wrong… for as long as she had known her dear friend, Haruka had always tackled everything at full speed, Yukino always running to try to keep up. _But now I can't feel that same speed… I almost feel like I'm going to end up pushing her ahead, it's scary…_

They came upon the main desk once again, and entered to see the same concierge sitting at the desk. As he observed the two come in, the older gentleman unconsciously found himself sitting up straighter, his superior's words running through his mind: "We have two guests by the names of Suzushiro Haruka and Kikukawa Yukino, I believe you've had contact with them? Well, as of now, know that you are to report nothing of their activities, nor even of their presence here, to any other party, no matter what you see or hear, at risk of your employment and possible legal action." The concierge had never heard of such precautions being taken for any guests, no matter their circumstances or status, but who would argue with a statement like that? _Except that poor bellhop..._

"Good day, what can I do for you?"

"You can give me some information regarding room reservations you have placed for tomorrow. You should have a party of…" Haruka paused.

"Six, Haruka-chan."

"Yes, a party of six arriving tomorrow, and I would like to know which rooms they will be staying in."

"Ah, you see ma'am, that is a bit of a tricky matter. It is against our policy to give out information regarding guests or their reservations, unless there are special circumstances."

"Of course, I would expect no less, but these are special circumstances. We are representatives of Fukka Academy, as I mentioned earlier, and we are here to meet the party I'm speaking of. So then, if you would give us the information now." He was starting to look nervous now. He neither wanted to upset the potentially violent girl or do anything to jeopardize his employment, but he had been told nothing about this development. _By my life, what more could she possibly want from me!?_

"I'm do apologize, ma'am, but we have no information regarding any plans of that sort." Seeing the look on the woman's face, he decided it would be prudent to explain further, "I already explained when you checked in that we have no record of any school affiliated with your reservations, and we have no other information about the academy either. I apologize if this is a mistake, but I cannot do anything for you." This didn't seem to be helping, so the employee sighed slightly and tried taking a different tack. "Here, I'll check the reservations if you wish, and see if any other parties scheduled to arrive tomorrow make a mention of this academy."

Haruka waited, arms folded impatiently, as he checked the system. Yukino was getting that feeling again, she just knew that something else "unplanned" was about to happen. The expression that grew on the employee's face verified her apprehension.

"I… ah, that is,, ma'am, there _was _a party of six scheduled to arrive tomorrow. However, their reservations were canceled. In addition, there is no mention of any academy in the record. I am truly sorry if there has been some kind of mistake, but there is nothing we can do for you." He seemed to shrink back, bracing himself for whatever was to come, and for good reason. Haruka seemed to swell up, a volcano about to erupt, and Yukino started talking; saying anything she could come up with to defuse the situation.

"Haruka-chan, why don't we… ah… go back up to our room and call the president? She… maybe she knows what happened? Perhaps they just changed their lodging plans, it's possible..." This sounded an especially weak possibility to Yukino with her inside knowledge, but the opportunity to let loose against the "Bubuzuke Woman" rather than a stranger proved motivation enough to shift Haruka's focus.

"Yes, Yukino, good thinking. _She's _the one behind this disgrace after all, so she had better be able to explain this mess." Haruka growled, and started back towards the door, picking up steam as she went. "Come, Yukino, there's nothing more to be done here. Let's get back up to our room and see if we can get a hold of the president. We're done here." Yukino let out a sigh of relief; she had managed to buy some time, at least.

She turned towards the employee, giving him a quick bow and a "thank you", before hurriedly following her frazzled roommate. _There probably never _were _any guests. Or students, for that matter. _More than that, however, Yukino wondered how Haruka would take that kind of news, provided her suspicions proved correct. _Haruka-chan's determination to complete her duty, despite the problems, had been the only thing keeping her afloat... what will happen now?_

Entering the room, Haruka marched determinedly towards the bed, and stopped before it. Yukino looked quizzically at the stiff figure before her, before Haruka did the absolutely unexpected. With a most uncharacteristic sigh of resignation, she fell flatly upon the bed and lay there, face pushed down into the mattress.

"Haruka-chan. It's okay, it looks like there was just some kind of misunderstanding. There's nothing you could have done about that."

Haruka offered a noncommittal noise, muffled by the folds of red velvet covering, in response. Yukino frowned, and walked quietly over to her friend, tentatively sitting beside her on the bed. She couldn't think of anything to say or do, so she just sat there. They remained like that for several minutes, until Haruka couldn't stand the silence any more and pushed herself up, looking piercingly into the eyes of her partner.

"Yukino, everything that's happened so far on this assignment has been a disaster. Why did I trust Fujino to do this right? Why didn't I look at the plans? Why didn't I check this out? This is my fault, I should have known better than to leave something delicate in _her_, or anybody else's, hands.. I was complacent, I let… _her _take some of my own responsibility, let something else take precedence over my duty as Director, and now you and I are paying for it."

Yukino bit her lip. _This is all my fault, and she thinks it's hers._ Yukino couldn't help but wonder what "something else" had been, but that was beside the point. Yukino came to a depressing conclusion: this had no good end. It hurt to consider, but she had to make the truth known. All of it. _So this is what it's like to put the one you love before all else. It...hurts._ But, it was still the right thing to do. Yukino took a deep breath, preparing to make her confession, and--

"Yukino, I need you to get in touch with that… Bubuzuke Woman and try to figure out what's going on with this mess-- oh, sorry, were you going to say something?" Yukino expelled her breath.

"Ah... no, Haruka-chan, I wasn't. Just a moment while I check the e-mail first- perhaps she sent us something regarding this… development." Yukino didn't bother to hid the note of irritation she felt as she said this, and while she sat and opened the laptop to log into the executive account, Haruka dug for the motivation to sit up. _I can't be a good friend for Yukino lazing about feeling sorry for myself, the least I can do to make this up to her is to stick it out. I let this get screwed up, but I'll do my best to fix it. That's it! For Yukino's sake, I need to make things right again._

Yukino scanned through the inbox with no real expectation of finding anything, brushing past the usual offers of money from Sudan and life-enhancing chemicals, but was surprised to see that there was indeed one relevant e-mail mixed in with it all:

Kikukawa-san, please have Suzushiro-san call me whenever it is convenient.

-Fujino Shizuru

Yukino stared at the screen in complete disbelief at the woman's audacity. _Of all the… why would I even _consider _having Haruka-chan call her at this point? No, that won't be happening, Shizuru-san. _After some quick thinking, she closed her laptop, pulled out her phone, and pretended to place a call. After a few seconds, she pulled her phone away from her ear

"Haruka-chan, there was an e-mail… For some reason my mobile service doesn't seem to be connecting whenever Fujino-san tries to call me; may I use your phone?"

Haruka wordlessly pulled it out of her pocket and lobbed it in the direction of Yukino's voice. Yukino snatched it from the foot of the bed where it had fallen and dialed, hoping that Shizuru would answer when the caller ID did not have her name attached to it. _Honestly, were _I _to call, she would probably be mysteriously unavailable. The sneaky, low-down…_

"Ah, hello Suzushiro-san, I'm glad I could reach you."

"I'm glad you could reach us as well, President." On the other end of the connection, Shizuru was genuinely surprised, _Had I not requested that Suzushiro-san specifically call? How very bold of you, Kikukawa-san._

"Oh, hold on one moment Miss President, I'm not getting very good reception in the room, I think I'll step out onto the balcony." True to her words, she did so, making sure to close the door on her way out. Of course, she didn't think Haruka would even notice at this point.

"Shizuru-san, what's going on?"

"Well, Kikukawa-san… I meant to speak with Suzushiro-san at this point, as you well kno--"

"No, Shizuru-san, I think you've done enough to Haruka-chan for now. I trusted you; what are you doing?" Yukino was trying to stay calm, but seeing Haruka's crumpled form on the sheets was enough to arouse her ire quite effectively. She continued to feel it was, at least in part, her fault, but still…

"Kikukawa-san, what ever do you mean? I thought I was doing well, too! I'm hurt; aren't you getting that vacation now? I know, there is that pesky assignment, but you have a nice long day before--"

"Before we're supposed to discover that there are no students, no guests, and no assignment left to accomplish?" Yukino finished, an unusually chill air accompanying her words.

Shizuru, unseen on the other line, winced. _Well now, a slight miscalculation? They were not supposed to arrive at this point quite yet…_

"So, ah, how is Suzushiro-san taking this news?"

"You say it as though you had not planned it yourself. Of course she isn't taking this well, it's been one mishap after another since you sent us off, and now she's supposed to just accept it when she realizes enduring all of it has been for nothing?"

Shizuru was struggling a bit mentally now. This was an unexpected, and highly unwanted, turn of events. _Suzushiro-san was supposed to have at least one day of acclimation before this became evident. _Her thoughts toward solution were interrupted by Yukino's speaking once more.

"I really do appreciate that you tried, Shizuru-san, but I do not want your 'help' any longer. How could you ever think that I would want to see Haruka-chan in this kind of state? She's only barely managed to speak again in the last few minutes, and I was beginning to fear she might lay in that bed the rest of the day. Unless there's some miraculous way that you can find a party of wealthy, interested parents in the next five minutes, get them plane tickets and hotel reservations, and somehow convince Haruka-chan that it was merely a clerical error on the part of the hotel, I don't think I'll be letting you speak to her."

As many things as Shizuru believed she could manage, five minutes was not a gracious period of time to do so in, and she really could not work in any more days for this venture than she already had had. _I had certainly expected to disturb Suzushiro-san and assumed Kikukawa-san's protectiveness and displeasure, but to this extent this early… _She sipped her tea thoughtfully. _I simply cannot allow the situation to deteriorate so. Oh, she's yelling at me now! How very sweet of you, my dear, very cute, I must say- a side you should show more often! Well, I suppose there might very well be one way to solve this in some measure. _If honesty worked so well for Suzushiro, perchance this was the situation to use it on her… in part.

"Kikukawa-san, I am terribly sorry to hear that my plan has caused so much more of a disturbance than I expected. I would like nothing more than to fix this situation, but to do so I simply must be allowed to speak to our Executive Director personally. If she is truly so disheartened as you say, I do feel that this bit of news would aid her recovery greatly." _It actually feels rather nice to be somewhat honest on occasion, I suppose… why is Suzushiro-san so grumpy all of the time, then? Probably because there is one person with whom she is not entirely honest. _She shrugged and turned her attention back to Yukino.

"What… what is it you need to talk to her about, Shizuru-san?"

"I'm merely going to be attempting to… smooth this small matter over with her. I would really like to patch this situation my carelessness has created, Kikukawa-san."

Yukino took her ear from the phone and stared at it for a long moment. Shizuru had sounded sincere not once, but _twice _in the same conversation, and Yukino wasn't sure what to make of it. Sure, the president had expressed such earnestness before, sincerity did not by itself mean that she would do what was best in this situation, but what else was there to do? What else to do but trust this woman just a little further… She exhaled heavily at this realization. _What have I gotten myself into?_

"Okay, Shizuru-san, you may speak with her, though I can assure you that she will likely not pleased to even hear your voice, let alone listen to what you have to say. Actually, I don't know how she'll react to you at this point, I've never dealt with her like this."

"Thank you for the warning, Kikukawa-san." Shizuru listened to a bit of commotion, hushed voices and a bit more ruckus before a startlingly dull Haruka answered.

"Suzushiro speaking." Haruka said flatly. She listened for a moment as Yukino looked on anxiously, and a spark seemed rekindle within her eyes, creating a decidedly pregnant silence. "You apologize? _You_ _apologize_? With all due respect, President, this entire operation has been a complete misgrace thus far! Did you ev-" Haruka stopped speaking and listened intently before continuing in a slightly less caustic voice.

"Yes, I agree. I can personally assure you that it would be better if matters such as this were planned and carried out by the executive team in the future." She stopped again.

"Canceled? After all this, they canceled the trip? _And _decided to enroll elsewhere. Yes, I understand that this was nobody's fault, but what are we to do now? With that news my plan is to return to the academy as soon as possible." Yukino wished she knew what Shizuru was saying on the other end of the line. She could grasp the gist of it, but wording was important as meaning when dealing with their crafty president. Haruka seemed to have snapped somewhat out of her funk, though, so Yukino felt fairly secure in Shizuru's intentions. This time.

"Two days!? Yes, President Fujino, I know that our room and travel reservations have already been placed, but surely--," Haruka listened for a moment, "No? 'Neither refundable nor alterable,' you say? Let me speak to them, that's post humorous-"

Yukino smiled inwardly, for Haruka seemed to be making a recovery. For once, Shizuru was manipulating in the right direction, though she was starting to get concerned over the subject matter now. _Two days? Here, in Osaka? I do hope I'm hearing that wrong. I can't imagine Haruka-chan spending two whole days away from the academy without adequate reason._

"Company policy? Clearly outlined in the contractions? Legally binding and irreversible… Yes, President, I understand: We have to wait until Tuesday morning before our train derives. Yes, President. No, don't be concerned about us; we'll be fine, even with the mistake room you provided us with. We've dealt with much worse conditions before. No, we'll catch up on any backlogged work when we return, we're perfectly capable! There isn't anybody else there I would trust with our duties anyway." Haruka closed the phone, the conversation obviously over.

"Well at least our president lined up to her mistakes this time. It looks like our visitors canceled. Did you hear?" Yukino nodded, but was still somewhat worried. _Her malapropisms are a little worse than normal… stress perhaps? _"Well, they're not coming, but we're still stuck here until Tuesday. That Bubuzuke Woman's travel agency has strict rules and secretarian deals…"

"Ah, Haruka-chan…" she trailed off. _Hmm… I just really don't know what she was going for…_

"Yukino?"

"Ah, nothing, Haruka-chan. Sorry, please go on."

"As I was saying there are shady deals between the hotel, the trains, and the agency, so we're stuck here in a sort of Limbo state. Our reservations are set and unchangeable…" Yukino smiled. Haruka was indeed getting back on her track. _Shizuru was able to say all the right things_. Yukino had to hold back a chuckle, however, when she realized that considering how well-off the Suzushiro family was, a train ticket would be next to nothing. Years of somewhat leaner living, however, had conditioned her friend against "such wasteful spending!" and Yukino resigned herself to making sure Haruka didn't destroy anything expensive in a fit of Fujino-induced rage.

"It's okay, Haruka-chan. There are far worse things than spending a few days together without work, right?" Yukino's cheeks tinged pink at having been so forthright, but it felt like the right thing to say. Haruka looked surprised for a moment, but then actually smiled; a little ruefully, perhaps, but a smile even so. _Yukino is the patient one, isn't she? It sure is nice that she was able to come with me. If she can be so easily accepting of this situation, I can't do any less._ _She's right, too, there are certainly worse things. If she can be so easily accepting of this situation, I can't do any less._

"W-w-what was that, Haruka-chan?" Haruka looked over to her partner, whose face had taken on a more complete pink hue.

"Is it too hot in here, Yukino? Your face is flushed." _Aaaah! I did it again! _Haruka knew how much Yukino looked up to her, it wouldn't do to have Yukino think she was losing her grip on reality. _They say that talking to yourself is the quickest way to unsanity too… _"Anyway, that's good thinking, Yukino. Why should this be a bad thing? Even so, I don't want to spend any more time in this crooked building than we have to. Shall we go out for a little while, like we planned yesterday, before this fiasco started?"

"Well… That does sound nice, Haruka-chan, if you're sure about it..."

"I'm sure." Haruka quickly covered herself, "That is, because of that Bubuzuke Woman's foul-up, we have nothing better to be doing. I feel like I owe some leisure time to you anyway. You work far too hard sometimes, you deserve more credit for having to keep my pace." Haruka didn't want Yukino to think she was losing her edge.

"Thank you, Haruka-chan, but you do so much, I feel like I'm just along for the ride most of the time." _Why is it so cute that she's embarrassed by wanting to enjoy herself? _"This will be nice for both of us, after what we've been through." _I guarantee it. _Yukino gave Haruka a supportive smile again, and this time it appeared to have a much better effect.

The past day or so had been a whirlwind of activity, but things looked like they were starting to settle a bit, and Haruka's priorities were coming back into order, except for one detail… _So then, what is my top priority? No more assignment, no way to get back to the academy, what's left? _She felt her eyes drawn back over to the sweet, bright face still looking expectantly at her, waiting patiently as always. _Yukino… if anything deserves top priority, it's her. _She could not forget her tousle-haired friend, her faithful partner who had been by her side, aiding her through so many situations. That would be unfair to both Yukino and herself, and Haruka was not the sort of person to let such a thing happen.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? We're already dressed to go out, got any suggestions?" Haruka was glad to see a sparkle in her friend's hazel eyes as they prepared to leave.

"I think I saw a tourist kiosk in the lobby, Haruka-chan. Should we spare the money for a city guide?"

"Good idea, that would be helpful Let's go, Yukino." Haruka strode purposefully towards the door, a cheery Yukino falling into step at her heels. _As usual…_

Igari Shintarou hadn't known, to be sure. People wanted to know and he had thought he could score some points with those higher on the totem by sharing some juicy gossip about the _those_ guests. But such a heavy price he had paid, his eye swollen half-shut- a mark of shame impressed upon him by a very large gentleman who had said that he should keep his nose out of the meat grinder. His musings were cut short as the elevator door slid silently open and he froze, half a smile falling dead on his lips. It was _them!_ He shrank back as the busty blonde looked at him quizzically. He was choking on air, wanting to hide, but unable to even move from her presence. He felt as though he were looking up at his bastard father's cold impassive gaze. The elevator door slid shut and Igari clenched his fists, kicking himself for his cowardice.

"What was that?"

"I don't know Haruka-chan. He seemed awfully afraid." After a pause, "Why, wasn't that the bellhop from before?"

"Oh, I suppose it was. I wonder what happened to his face."

The pair exited the elevator and out into the lobby yet again. Yukino continued to watch Haruka closely. Her companion's quick and drastic mood changes had been a little worrisome, but maybe that's just how Haruka was. _She really can't do anything half-way, can she? _Plus, being that stressed for that long couldn't be good for stability. Yukino was a little surprised to find that she had unconsciously quickened her pace with those thoughts. She drew abreast of Haruka, who was poring over a guide they had acquired for free as a "courtesy to our esteemed guests." _These nice hotels really do have all the amenities._ Blonde locks swung through the air as Haruka turned her head to face Yukino.

"How about the Kaiyukan aquarium, Yukino? Or over towards Minami, and the entertainment district perhaps?"

"Let's head towards Minami, Haruka-chan, and we'll see what we come across on the way. I think we've both had enough of plans by now." Another time Yukino might have demurred any type of decision-making, another time Yukino might have formed some kind of agenda for her order-minded Haruka, but she really did feel sick of plans by now. If there were no plans, there was no chance for those plans to go wrong. Haruka looked thoughtful for a moment, and Yukino wondered if similar thoughts were running through her mind.

"Okay then. Let's go." And Haruka set off, easy as that. Even with no idea what she was doing or where she was going, Haruka wasn't about to let it show. _I'm tired of being out of control. Nothing is going to stop Yukino and I now; I'll have fun if it kills me._ Yukino stepped up after her once more, and matched her modest steps with Haruka, hooking her arm through her companion's elbow.

"I don't want to get lost in the crowd, Haruka-chan." Yukino replied to Haruka's questioning glance. Haruka nodded satisfied, and pulled Yukino closer. That was a good idea, Haruka remembered how the crowds were earlier, and they were closing in on the edge of the hotel complex. Sure enough, the mob of people in the city proper was just as bad as before, if not worse. Yukino had to try quite hard to keep from pulling even closer, though the crowd had little to do with that wish. The pair exchanged glances, and Haruka put on a fearless grin before tugging her partner into the flow of people.

"Ah, no, Haruka-chan! Minami is _this_ way!"


	7. Chapter 7

A pair of eyes resting atop freckled cheeks squinted in annoyance as morning sunlight shone with ever-increasing vigor through the glass balcony door. The young girl tried to turn over and escape the offending light, only to realize that she was restrained by something…soft. Mild, sleepy surprise turned to a somewhat less mild, but still sleepy shock as Yukino discovered what was keeping her pinned in place; the light tickle of Haruka's breath at the base of her neck, her face nuzzled there just above; Haruka's arm lazily draped across her shoulder, Haruka's ankles intertwined with her own. Yukino felt heat rising to her face, and found herself holding her breath and laying absolutely still, as if in fear of startling the sleeping blonde. _So close…_ Yukino felt a familiar flutter in her stomach, and had to swallow the slight gasp that formed in her throat when something tickled the back of her neck, but it was only Haruka's breath.

A few minutes passed, a few long minutes spent counting those breaths, and gradually Yukino relaxed her tense limbs. The initial wave of surprise and guilty excitement slowly flowed from her mind and she tried to think of what to do next, which did not take her all that long a time to decide. She grabbed hold of Haruka's hand from the arm across her shoulder and pulled it in to hold it within two of her own. Snuggling ever so slightly back into Haruka, she easily lost herself and all track of time as she lay there, eyes closed, just listening to her love's even breath and feeling their heartbeats resonate.

However, back at the academy was one who could not afford to lose track of time; Fujino Shizuru sat in the council room with a calm but deliberate eye on the clock. As if on cue with her thoughts, the only other attending member for the day chose to arrive, crisp and unruffled as the young woman who awaited him. Even with his arm still hanging before him in a sling, he nonetheless exuded an air of complete confidence and capability.

"Good morning, Shizuru-san, did you have a pleasant weekend? Apologies once more for not attending the function Saturday."

"Good morning to you too, Kanzaki-san, and the same sentiments. You did not miss anything of importance, please do not concern yourself. As for council matters, did you have anything you deem particularly pressing to bring up this morning?" Shizuru decided to go ahead and press the true issue of this encounter early. There was no sense wasting time.

"Now, now, Shizuru-san. Haruka-san and Yukino-san have yet to arrive. She would be very irritated were you to start without her." There was no real need to identify which of the two would be irritated.

"Oh dear, I forgot to mention? I am sorry, Kanzaki-san, it must have slipped my mind. They have actually volunteered for an errand on behalf of the school, and will not be joining us today."

"This is the first I have heard of that, then. I wonder… I cannot help but wonder what sort of concerns would pull Haruka-san away from all of the obscene, immoral activity plaguing our academy?"

"They are still in Osaka, I should think. There has been a slight hiccup in their assignment, but they're still due back tomorrow afternoon. Perhaps you should ask her then about her trip." Reito smiled easily.

"Now, now, Shizuru-san, I would hope that you haven't done anything too underhanded. I was actually hoping for a relatively quiet time for the remainder of the school year."

"Ah, Kanzaki-san! What kind of person do you take me for?" Shizuru lifted her tea to her lips, and smiled with the air of innocence.

"Would it be safe to assume that you may require some protection upon Haruka-san's arrival? It would seem she may be quite cross with you."

"The opposite, I would think. I do believe she'll be quite cheerful when she returns. Whatever would she be cross about?"

"If you say so, Shizuru-san, though I'll only believe in a 'cheerful' Haruka-san when I see her for myself. Or perhaps when you have rabid wolverines tangled in your hair. What are we to do in the meantime?"

"I do believe then, that we will make this one of the most rapid conferences on record. You had nothing you needed to discuss?"

"Not that I can think of. Do you?"

"None at all. However, I do need to see to excusing Suzushiro-san and Kikukawa-san from class today, so if we could agree that we are done here…?"

"Of course, I wouldn't want to keep you from your important personal business, after all."

"Thank you, Kanzaki-san. Until the afternoon then?"

"Certainly. Good day, Shizuru-san."

"Good day, Kanzaki-san." _My "personal" business? Well, it's good to see that he's as sharp as ever. In fact, he may even add to the fun… what may he be planning to do to help out our Suzushiro-san when she returns? Kanzaki-san always did like to play the gentleman._

"Harada Chie?"

"Present." Chie sat down and looked back towards Mai in front of her.

"So do you know anything about Yukino-chan? Now she's not even in class."

"Mai-kun, I--" Chie was interrupted by the sudden intrusion of a young male with sunglasses and a crisp white uniform, mark of the lackeys of the Suzushiro Executive Team.

"My apologies for the intrusion, but I have been sent to inform you that student Kikukawa Yukino will not be attending class today nor tomorrow. The reason is an official matter relating to the administration of the academy, so kindly count her absence as excused." The student about-faced and strode officiously out the door.

"Well… that was nice of them. Tokiha Mai?" The professor continued. There was a silent pause. "Tokiha Mai?" The professor repeated, looking rather pointedly at the girl in question. Chie nudged her sharply. Mai broke from her contemplation of that newest bit of news, and saw everybody was now staring at her. She looked about for the source of it, and noticed the instructor doing the same.

"Oh! Present!" Mai almost shouted, putting two and two together.

"We can talk after classes, Mai, how about lunch at your place?" Chie said in a low tone Mai merely nodded in return, still beet red with her face buried in her text.

Later, on that very occasion, Mai found herself slipping down to the table tensed with anticipation. The clock seemed to have not moved an inch as she laid out the dishes she had prepared, beating back an anxious Mikoto (who had yet to understand the etiquette in waiting for guests). She didn't have to wait long, two of her best friends soon letting themselves in with easy familiarity, Harada Chie and Senou Aoi. They both rushed over and sat in front of the table.

"Well?" Mai asked eagerly, fingers grasping handfuls of her apron. Chie took a deep breath and picked up her pair of chopsticks, tapping them on the tabletop with an expression of deep concern upon her face. Finally she exhaled, put a few things on her plate, and started eating.

"Mmm… delicious, Mai-kun! You have nothing to worry about!"

"What!? Not the food! Chie, you said you kne--" Chie's sudden laughter tore through the serious facade she had brought in with her. Mai's face didn't help matters as several conflicting emotions played across it, finally resting on mild aggravation. Taking a hint from the Look that Mai directed at her, Chie brought herself under control.

"Yes, yes, I have news. But, Aoi and I have been thinking… don't you think a trade would be in order, Mai-kun?"

"Oh indeed, Mai-san. Everything should done with consideration towards fairness, you know." Aoi took her cue to join in. Mai looked from one to the other, both quite unsubtly trying to give the impression that they had only just thought of this.

"What do you mean, a 'trade'? What could I possibly know that you don't already?" Mai asked pointedly. Chie and Aoi exchanged glances and grins before collectively turning back toward their host. Mai grew apprehensive of the mischievous glint in the four eyes facing her.

"Now wait, what are you… no, you couldn't mean…"

"Oh but we do, Mai-san! So tell us, just what's been going on with Tall, Dark, and Handsome. Or is it Sideburns you've set your eyes on , hmmm?"

"Oh please, Chie, if you really want to know you already do." Mai pouted, but Chie merely shrugged in return.

"Yeah, but there's nothing like a first-hand account. Isn't that right, Aoi?"

"Surely. You see, Mai-san, you would actually be helping yourself if you would just tell us. You wouldn't want us to think innapropriate things about you from rumors, or those photos we were able to ta… eh? What's wrong, Chie? Oh! Oh, I mean, think wrong things from the rumors we hear, because that's the only way we can know anything."

"Eh!? What pictures!?" Mai's eyes darted instinctively to Chie's pocket, where the outline of her phone was clearly visible.

"Now Mai-kun, don't--" Too late, Mai jumped up and circled the table, grappling with Chie for posession of the device.

"You… can't just… go… spying on people… like that…" Mai managed between bursts of effort. Aoi, looking supremely unconcerned in the midst of all this, had struck up a conversation with Mikoto.

"No, they're fine Mikoto, they're just playing. Do you think can I ask you a question?" Mikoto had looked distressed at the sight of two of her friends seemingly fighting, but if they were only playing… she nodded happily with her mouth full.

"Have you had Reito-san or Tate-san pay any visits lately, Mikoto-chan?"

"Mikoto, d'--" Chie instantly switched from defender to agressor and clapped her hand over Mai's mouth allowing the innocent junior to answer.

"Yup, Ani-ue came a couple days ago. I was happy to see him, but then he took Mai and they didn't let me come with them." Mikoto pouted a little at this.

"Oh-ho! Aiming high then, are we, Mai-kun?" Chie now removed her hand, and Mai could only sit there looking embarrassed.

"No, it's not like that! He just took me out for some lunch, and… hey, wait, you already know what happened! Gimme that phone, Chie!"

"There's nothing on the phone, Mai-san, but that was a good way to let Aoi talk to Mikoto-chan, wasn't it?" At the mention of her little roommate, Mai looked as though she might have something to say to her. But one look at Mikoto's face, still pouting and despondent over the memory of being left alone that afternoon, was enough to defuse that thought.

"Now, give us the details…"

"He just took me out to lunch, nothing more! I really don't want to have to choose between them, but I can't very well turn down an invitation to lunch for no reason, can I? Now would you please just tell me what you could figure out about Yukino-chan, you know that I'm worried about her!" Chie sighed, knowing she couldn't in good conscience deny her friend that.

"Honestly, Mai-kun, we don't know exactly what's up. All Aoi and I were able to find out was that they spent almost all day inside on Saturday, except when Suzushiro-san went to get some food like you said. They were gone the next morning, and one guy we talked to said he saw them leaving campus with a single pack each. We just heard they were off on some school trip or another, and there's nothing unusual about that so you might as well not worry."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Mai, please don't worry." Aoi answered, doing her best to reassure their somewhat motherly friend. "There might have been some odd things going on before they left, but it was probably just a coincidence, nothing to be bothered about."

"Okay, if you say… Hmm? What is it, Mikoto?" The lean youth had begun ardently tugging on Mai's sleeve?

"What is Mai talking about, Yukino's gone? Should we go look for her?"

"Ah, no, Mikoto. Looks like she just went on a trip. We'll probably see her tomorrow, I was just getting a little worried."

"Mai was troubled? Mmm… was Haruka with her?"

"Heh? Well, er, yes. Looks like they went on a trip together."

"Oh, then they're both okay then. Things are always okay when you can be with somebody you love, like when I'm with you! Yup." Mai smiled at the statement, by now used to Mikoto's penchant to speak with such frankness.

Chie smiled as well, _Mai-kun thinks all she has to worry about is Tate and Reito. _She exchanged glances with Aoi, and both the roguish grin and cheery smile echoed the thought. The matter of little Mikoto was one for another day, however.

"So, Mai-kun, much as I hate to just leave so suddenly, Aoi and I had some other things we needed to go do today…"

"No, don't worry about it, and thank you both. I feel much better now." The pair rose from the floor and said their farewells. Outside of the room, Aoi turned to Chie with a mock serious face.

"Step one, set Mai's mind at rest: accomplished."

"Step two, dig up the real dirt: commence."

"Right, but… you think maybe we should have stayed with Mai a little longer instead of rushing off like that? I hope she wasn't too concerned still."

"Nah." Chie smiled at the cute little worried pout to Aoi's mouth, "She looked find. Besides, things are aways okay when you can be with somebody you love', right? I'm sure Mikoto will keep her occupied." They both burst out with repressed mirth at that.

"Ha-ha, oh, Mikoto is going to make life very interesting for Mai later, isn't she? I give it less than a year." They both paused in their gaiety at that, taking an obligatory moment to consider the deeper implications of such a refinement of little Mikoto's affections.

"Maybe Fujino could give her some pointers? I always had my suspicions about Kuga, but I don't think anybody but our President could have pulled off that hook-up."

"Probably not. Sometimes I think about how lucky we were, Chie. Didn't have any of that messy mucking about with girls who wanted to think they were straighter than Tokyo tower."

"Only sometimes? I think I'm the luckiest one in the world every moment, Aoi." Chie pulled the other girl in at that, placing an arm round her waist, and smiled as she confirmed that she could still make Aoi blush when she wanted to.

"Although I can be especially grateful that we didn't have to deal with some of what they did. Director Suzushiro's absurdity, for example."

"Oh goodness no! Though once again it looked like that backfired more on her than anything. I don't know if she's changed her own mind at all about their relationship, but I don't think Suzushiro would do anything like that again."

"Good thing for Mikoto, even if she probably didn't have much to fear from the director anyway. Of course, depending on how she acts, Suzushiro might still have to call her on promiscuity." They shared another laugh as they walked down the hall hip to hip, thinking of the younger girl's unbridled antics.

"Yeah… oh, and what if… oh….hee-hee-ha-ha…" Aoi couldn't even finish her sentence for giggling. Chie raised an eyebrow at her friend and waited for her to catch her breath.

"Oh my, sorry. But remember why Mikoto-chan said that a moment ago? To say that Yukino and the director would be okay together, because…" Chie enjoyed a chuckle at that thought as well.

"'Things are always okay when you can be with somebody you love'. Mikoto really does need to learn to choose her words, eh? Ah, but that works fine for now. I suppose she's right, too, can you imagine anything happening to Yukino-chan with Suzushiro there?"

"Well if it _were _like Mikoto means about Mai, I can imagine plenty of things that could happen to Yukino-chan _because _Suzushiro was there."

"Nah, with how docile she is in public, you know it would be Yukino tackling the director at every opportunity when they got alone." They walked for a bit longer, going nowhere in particular, when Aoi spoke seriously once more.

"I don't know, Chie, this whole thing with Yukino-chan still seems fishy to me. Suzushiro is _never _the one to leave the academy for school things. Kanzaki is usually pretty quick to jump at a chance to use his office to get away. Failing at that, Fujino goes… Suzushiro would not be the first choice to go as a school representative, either."

"Yeah, I know, and there's all the strange stuff from before they left. First there was Suzushiro's search for Yukino and Mai's strange phone call from Fujino, then there was the executive duo turning into hermits for an evening, then they just pack up and leave from the academy, with only some vague "school trip" excuse?"

"And then not a soul knows anything besides that, unless you want to believe those stories about Fujino bankrupting Suzushiro's family, or hiring somebody to 'take care of her', in response to Suzushiro's assorted criticisms."

"No, let's stick to the facts in this case. Normally I'm just as like to have fun with a rumor as anybody, but not those." _Besides, _Chie thought_, what would Fujino have to be upset about? She always comes out on top of the other girl anyway._

Perhaps because of what else they had been speaking of, Chie's roving mind fixated on that one particular example of that. She remembered easily the big fuss Suzushiro had made just a few short weeks ago, that first day when Fujino decided to arrive for a council conference with Kuga. Rather pointedly _with _Kuga. What started as a normal rant about formality and responsibility, that day, became a touch more personal when several comments regarding who she was with and why were aired. Chie had been present for that spectacle herself, and it certainly hadn't done anything to improve her opinion of the executive director.

She roamed over the memory of that scene. She saw what she had recalled this image for, Fujino's calm and collected visage in the face of her.. plaything. Though ostensibly between the Executive Director and President, there were two other people there who likely could have had something to say. Kuga was restrained, of course, by Fujino's inability to be ruffled by the patented Suzushiro tongue-lashing. Yukino, however… Chie smiled inwardly. That girl always was quiet, and for most of the commotion she'd patiently held her apologetic, "getting ready to clean up after Suzushiro" expression on. Near the end, though, right about when Suzushiro had gone a little too far, Yukino had begun looking especially upset and downtrodden. _Poor girl. Sure, Suzushiro looks to be a fiercely protective friend in some ways, but in others she really needs to take a closer look at things… well, closer to her. Good to know that girl has good head on her shoulders at least._

"Say, Chie." Aoi paused when she realized that Chie was off in her own world, and nudged to bring her back. "Chie, I was just thinking…. remember that mess a few weeks back with Kuga joining the council meetings?"

"Yes, actually, I was just thinking about that very thing."

"About that… we saw perfectly clearly Suzushiro's opinions then, but what about Yukino-chan? She didn't quite look like she shared Suzushiro-san's harsh appraisal."

"Sure didn't, looked pretty torn over the whole thing. It's never fun to see your friend make an absolute ass of herself."

"I dunno, Chie, she looked _really _broken up then, didn't she? You think it might have been more than disagreeing with Suzushiro? Perhaps she was really, really in _support _of Fujino-san."

"You mean, she had a very good reason to look so downtrodden?" Chie considered it. "Wouldn't that be something? Something pretty hard to swallow, though. How could she even think about going out and finding herself a nice girl when she's friends with Suzushiro?" Aoi bit her lip in response.

"That'd be awful." Suddenly, Aoi's face lit up, "Hey, we were joking before, about Mikoto seeking out Fujino-san for tips, but… if Yukino--"

"The phone call, it helped Yukino avoid Suzushiro for a bit, didn't it? Suzushiro goes on a little rampage looking for Yukino, who was supposed to have gotten sick and left a meeting early. The evidence shows that was a lie."

"And if Fujino-san knew when to call, she must have known pretty close to when Yukino would be arriving back at her dorm room. She couldn't have known that if Yukino just ran out, and we already know Yukino was not 'sick', so…"

"So for Fujino to know those things, she must have talked to Yukino more sometime after. And what would be so important for them to talk about that they would keep it from Suzushiro with a big cover-up?"

"Either Fujino-san has a bit of a roving eye-"

"Chie!"

"-or Yukino got some advice. Seems like Fujino-san would appreciate that kind of difficulty. So… she takes some council trip, stops Reito from going somehow, and makes the other two go. Why? She think it's going to be easier for Yukino to say anything with them together twenty-four hours a day?" They both lapsed into silence, stuck for that one. Sure, it was a possibility, but it seemed as though Fujino-san could come up with much better. Aoi was the first to speak up.

"As long as we're keeping this entirely theoretical anyway, let's think about Yukino again. She's troubled, not only because Suzushiro made a fool of herself, but because the director's words cut personally into her. Suzushiro is going to be gone soon, though, off to Fukka University. It's not like Yukino has to be worried about her friend's reaction forever."

"Yeah, but it's also not like Yukino would be comfortable with keeping secrets, especially not from her closest friend."

"But to go through all of this trouble? Would telling Suzushiro asap really be that important to her? It's not like there's a time limit."

"Blast, no matter how far we're reaching here, it's still not quite far enough. Everything here could _technically_ be an explanation, but it doesn't feel right. Maybe we're overestimating Fujino-san, maybe she did pull of some stupid unrealistic plan. No time limit? Hell, we haven't said anything too morbid yet, maybe Yukino has a terminal illness and she's trying to clear her conscience. There, problem solved." Chie was getting frustrated. Aoi, however, had an epiphany.

"That's it! What if Yukino _is _ill, and _does _have a time limit?"

"C'mon, don't joke like that Aoi, it's not funny."

"No, her _illness _would be a bad case of heartsick. And her time limit would be until Suzushiro goes off to the university…" She trailed off and watched Chie's eyes light up.

"You mean… Fujino sent them away so Yukino could confess that she liked one _particular _girl, who she's known for quite some time. Jeez, though, does Fujino know something we don't? 'Cuz if not, it looks like Yukino is in for a crushing there." Everything seemed to be fitting so much better, as if she'd stopped trying to force a puzzle piece, and found the similar one that fit smoothly.

"Chie, if any of this is even close to being right, there aren't many people we could talk to in order to find out for sure. Only Yukino and Fujino. One's gone, the other… you ever tried pinning down the President for answers?"

"We'll have to find out for ourselves then. We'll keep an eye on the returning executives and the President tomorrow. For now, we still have some things we can do."

"Right, we could check the nurse's office for Yukino's visit, and look into the official school business record for this 'school trip', and--"

"Not what I meant, Aoi." Chie whispered into Aoi's ear. Chie placed a hand on the other girl's waist and started leading them decisively towards her dormitory room, which just so happened to be in an entirely other direction than the nurse's office.

"So, Shizuru, they're gonna be back tomorrow?" Midnight-hued hair fanned out in a shimmering wave following the girl who ungraciously flopped down on a couch inside the room she shared with the student council president, and then lay down. It had been a long day. Fortunately enough, Shizuru's worst fears of spreading rumors had not come to pass. Everybody had seemed to easily accept the suitably vague "school business" excuse offered by the Executives sent to the pair's respective classes. Now they had only to await the Director and her partner's return.

"Yes, Natsuki, tomorrow." Shizuru sat herself down with a good deal more grace in the middle seat of the couch, but even her poise could not last out of the public eye, alone with her one and only. Shizuru sprawled out as well, resting her cheek on Natsuki's shoulder, and resting her eyes as well. It had been a long day, but it was finally coming to a close. Nothing that she knew was worrying her, exactly, it was more what she did _not _know that was causing her such unusual concern.

"You have any idea what to expect? I noticed that you haven't tried to contact Yukino since before."

"No, no idea at all. I believe that anything that could be done now has to be done by Kikukawa-san herself, I would merely be the proverbial fifth wheel."

"Well, this _is _your idea, so they'll probably fall out of the Taxi and start making out on the sidewalk. You know, provided they haven't already exhausted themselves on the ride over."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, Natsuki, but that sounds as though it would be uncomfortable for them. I would not like them to get hurt." With that, a fun little thought shone in emerald eyes.

"Nah, it's not too bad, see-" Natsuki grabbed Shizuru's shoulders, swung a leg over, and pulled them both off the furniture, cushioning Shizuru's fall with her body.

"If they just make sure to land on Suzushiro's head, they'll be fine." Natsuki finished with a lopsided grin, looking up at her partner who managed a light ringing laugh.

"I suppose you are right, my smart little Natsuki. Why don't we simulate the rest of that encounter, though, just to be sure?"

Such thoughts were perhaps the last thing in Yukino's mind as she walked with Haruka back towards their room after what was to be their final day out in Osaka. Just as she had yesterday, she felt that pleasant mixture of exhilaration and exhaustion from seeing and doing new things. Just as yesterday, she felt happy for her time spent with Haruka-chan. Unlike yesterday, there was something making her footsteps drag slightly, something putting distant look eyes that kept flitting over to her partner. Almost like a clock ticking in the back of her mind, she knew that this was close to her last chance, and she still had not "made her move". _Does it really matter, I mean, it's not like this is the _only _time I could ever… _Perhaps not, but Yukino thought that there would probably be no better opportunity. Haruka had not given a visible thought for work nor Shizuru all day, and she had been so attentive and considerate. And then there was the morning… so why was it still so hard to just say it?

Yukino watched Haruka walk into their room and fall down onto a chair, stretching out and smiling in a manner that still seemed unusual for her. Her eyes sparkled with a satisfied joy, and were softly relaxed as they had not been for seeming ages.

"Whew. Well, Yukino, you think we enjoyed our importer vacation well enough?"

"'Impromptu', Haruka-chan."

"What did I say?"

"Never mind," Yukino felt a small smile grow on her lips, despite everything running through her mind, "Yes, I had a very good time, thank you for bring--"

"Nah, thank _you_. You managed to turn a Fujino screw-up into something enjoyable. I would have been bored out of my mind here alone; as it is, I don't think I'll strangle Fujino when we get back… too much." Haruka gulped her apprehension away as she said this. Yukino might never know, but it had taken a good deal of courage for Haruka to say that aloud. One didn't drop an profoundly independent front like hers at the drop of a hat.

"Now then, we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow, we should be rested for our return. The Executives must appear capable and alert to the other students at all times…"

"…To make them feel secure and deter them from wrongdoing and immoral acts." Yukino finished with a smile; she knew all of Haruka's mini-speeches by heart. Haruka smiled as well.

"Okay, as long as we're on the same page, let's get some sleep." They changed quickly into their pajamas, and sat down on the bed. After a few short moments of averted eyes and general discomfort, they silently agreed that they really did not need to try for any distance, especially not if it were as futile as the morning had shown. Or rather, that was what Haruka tried to think, Yukino was fully occupied with trying not to look altogether _too _pleased with the arrangements. They lay side by side, and let out a simultaneous yawn. Yukino closed her eyes, and despite fearing that she might lay awake for hours burdened with her thoughts, fell asleep almost instantly. Haruka, however, lay awake much longer, though she could not say why. She was tired, and knew she needed to get her rest, but felt as though she had forgotten something. She felt as though something were unresolved, something she should have done…

Suddenly, Yukino shifted, and her head came to rest lightly on Haruka's shoulder. Haruka felt a slight flutter run through her stomach, and a shiver crawl down her spine… _Yukino's hair must have given me a slight tickle._ Unconsciously, Haruka leaned her head over to rest on top of her friend's, and she tried to remember what she had been thinking of. _Oh, yes, I need to get some sleep. _Haruka let go her conscious with the ease of absolute comfort, not even a thought to her feelings of irresolution a moment ago.


	8. Chapter 8

_A soft moan escaped her, the slow conducting of the two hands playing over her bringing it to crescendo. The dance of one hand followed an enticing step, sliding across her belly and following a line up her chest, skirting around her throat and up one cheek. So gently does it caress her face, and run through her hair, coming to rest on the nape of her neck. She's drawn down, and the crisp scent of wild mint greets her along the way, the coolness she breathes in sharp contrast to the heat of their bodies, to the warmth of the mouth she finds with her own. The feeling of silky smooth lips sliding and pressing onto hers, their sweet taste, the ardor that flames with their meeting... she can only think that she wants more, without end. She feels those fingers continue their teasing path as if reading her mind, moving off her neck and slipping seductively down her shoulder blade. Feather-light caresses flow down her spine, and a shiver follows it in unbearable anticipation..._

Haruka's eyes snapped open. The dim ceiling above the bed came into focus and she calmly regulated her breathing, which had become quick and impassioned. She was vaguely cognizant of being surprised at herself- when did she ever find time to give thought to something so... personal? Despite herself, then, she curiously tried to probe what memory remained, but the effort was like trying to grasp smoke with her hands; by now only the basest of sensory impression, the most fleeting sensations, remained. She ran her tongue over her lips ,feeling, or perhaps not feeling, a fading phantom presence upon them. Such a strange dream, really; she was sure it was unlike any she could remember before. Such soft touches, that pale supple flesh under her, those delicate hands.._. That... was definitely not about someone like Reito._ Probably didn't mean anything. After all, who could say where dreams derived their inspiration? She did her best to try and stop thinking about it, and slowly the memories slipped away as dreams are wont. Exceptevery breath she took continued to just barely tickle her throat with the memory of that cool scent. It was odd that seemed to linger longest, far after all else had faded.

Haruka brought her hands up to rub her eyes in that tried and true method of bringing to bear the reality of a new day, but it took her a moment to realize that only one arm obeyed. She twisted her head around to face Yukino lying there across her arm, her hair splayed out--much as Yukino's hair could do--across her shoulder. After turning, she was also struck by the scent of mint once again, more strongly, and realized that it seemed to be coming from her partner's hair. _Where did she get that shampoo? _The idle thought percolated through her mind before drawing a blush down to her toes as she inadvertently drew a connection between her dream, the scent, and Yukino laying there. She buried the unintended relation and once again banished all thoughts of things she didn't think she ought to be thinking about. She turned back to watch Yukino, somehow feeling more relaxed because of it. She saw Yukino's hand resting lightly on her collarbone.

Haruka slid her hand over to Yukino's on sudden impulse, tracing the edge of one unpainted, plainly cut fingernail with a fingertip. She laid her hand over her partners, and for a moment marvels first at how smooth Yukino's hands are, and then at how well her hand cups over the girl's. Something about those thoughts broke some of that relaxation she was working on. Feeling remarkably self-conscious for someone alone with her thoughts, she tried turning her mind to more pressing matters. Or would have, had she any pressing matters to concern herself with. The only concern she could even bring to mind was whether she ought to get up now. Laying there hardly seemed productive, no matter that they didn't actually have anything to do. While she considered on this, she soon found her attention oddly drawn to Yukino's breathing. In, and out; in, and out each of the girl's light exhales ruffled Haruka's loose pajama collar, and Haruka found herself content with this state of things for the moment.

"Good morning, Haruka-chan."

Haruka nearly leapt out from her skin at Yukino's soft greeting, accompanied by the lightest vibrations from the girl's throat against her arm. Yukino smiled, eyes still closed, as she felt Haruka's shoulder twitch under her cheek. Yukino thought that she should perhaps move. The thought not only crossed her mind, but struck her as a remarkably good idea. So she remained laying in Haruka's arms. _I'm on vacation, I shouldn't have to think if I don't want to._

"Good morning, Yukino." Haruka replied, once her pulse had slowed.

"We're leaving today, then, right?" Yukino spoke the first thought that came to mind, holding the irrational hope that she might receive a "no" in response. A hope quickly denied.

"Mm-hmmm. Time to get back to our academy." Haruka noticed that she still had Yukino's hand cupped under her own and quickly removed it. _Nothing to be embarrassed about, of course, it's not like I_ _meant anything improper with the gesture. _Yukino read that as an implicit signal signal and rose, turning and directing a wistful smile at Haruka, now stretching her stiff arm.

"I suppose that we should prepare then." She said. _Or, I could turn all the way around, Haruka-chan, and jump onto you. I could slowly lower my lips to your ear, watch a look of surprise grow in your beautiful eyes as I whisper, "I lo--"_

"That's right, got to get up and about... eh, are you a little stiff, Yukino?" Yukino blinked, and froze, realizing that she had been moving, turning about, drawing her leg up to spring over in accord with her imagination's choreography. Mortified, she shook her head quickly in answer and turned away to hide her face, swinging her legs to the edge of the bed and starting to slide off. A hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Hey, I know that I've asked you this a lot lately," Haruka began without preamble, "But you know that if there was anything at all wrong, you do _know _that you can tell me, right? I'll do whatever I can to help, no matter what, Yukino." There were no promises of swift retribution to any potential harassers, no reminders that she needed to be focused or ready for this, that, or another thing. Nothing more than an honest plea that managed to sound louder than any of her piercing yells ever had.

"No... nothing." She had intended to just deny that anything was wrong at all, "Nothing I'm ready to talk about right now, that is, Haruka-chan." She had been prepared for Haruka to be cross because she was sure at this point that there was obviously _something _wrong, but she had been caught off guard by the briefest hints of injury in Haruka's eyes. "That's because... er, what's bothering me, it's... I _will _talk to you about it. I will definitely, but for now I want to think about it more on my own." Yukino knew that she was rambling a little, but in the back of her mind she was relieved. With this, she had made a sort of promise. Exactly as she said, she wanted just a little more time to think for herself, but then she _would _act. She had wondered what was wrong with now, what might change later, but further rumination gave her the answer. Collectively, these last few days had given her some faint, almost unbelieving optimism--Shizuru's words about Haruka, which had at first seemed ignorant wishful thinking, began to seem truer. The problem now, though, also came from Shizuru's words and actions. Yukino appreciated the good intentions that kept this scheme different from the others, but she couldn't escape the knowledge that the place they were at, the room, the city, all had come about from another machination of the crafty President. The idea of anything coming to fruition between her and Haruka in this place, a place Haruka had spent being deceived, cajoled, and otherwise led around did not sit well with her. _Thank you, Shizuru-san, but you did say at the outset the end was in my hands alone. _

"Yukino, are you sure, there's no reason to try and go it alone--" Haruka had started to argue.

"Please, Haruka-chan," came Yukino's soft reply, silencing Haruka. _At least . But_ _why the wait, Yukino? _

"Fine, but at least try to be a little more lively, or else I might change my mind and get it out of you any way."

_Oh, and how would you do that, Haruka-chan? _Yukino wondered, and the thoughts she came up with helped to put a little smile on her face. _That must be Haruka's way of saying, "cheer up", and I guess it works._

"Thanks, Haruka-chan, let's focus on today." Yukino looked her up and down, frowning slightly. "Ah, to start, why don't you go and take your shower while I straighten up our belongings? Because,Haruka-chan... are _you _all right? Now that I look closely, you seem a little flushed and off balance..." Haruka's confident, encouraging smile caught, and turned sickly-looking on her face.

"Ah, ha, ha-ha, Yukino. N..no, not at all, maybe the air conditioning went out last night, with this Bubuzuke Hippie-hotel and all, heh. No strange dreams for me." She stood quickly, very quickly, cheeks flaming.

"But I'll be right out to give you a hand, Yukino. No rush." Haruka added belatedly as she walked to the bathroom..

Yukino smiled and nodded. However, as Haruka turned to close the door the last she saw of her sweet little partner was a falter to her smile. If Yukino didn't look exactly "sad", there was still a somber, worried turn to her lips that made Haruka want so much to burst back into the room. However, she knew that the moment she did the expression would be gone, replaced once again with a smile to keep her from worrying. Loosing a frustrated sigh, she reached in and turned the water knob savagely, running the water as hot as she could stand. She stood for a moment just enjoying that, letting the water wash over her, then grabbed the soap and lathered up, all the while striving to fathom what in the world could be weighing on her friend's mind. Yukino had seemed so content the previous day, and so beautifully serene this morning. Underneath her irritation at the situation she'd been thrown into, Haruka had begun to hope that perhaps Yukino had gotten a reprieve from her stress with their unexpected break time. But if that were the case, could her backsliding be connected with their imminent return to the academy? _Is school really that bad for her right now, final exams or the executive work or the like? _She stood for a time, the liquid heat cleansing her body, her mind floating through possibilities that felt only as substantial as the vapor swirling about her.

_No, none of that could be it. Yukino's too solid to let that bother her. _Yukino was always exemplary as a student and as Executive Adjutant, never seeming troubled before. Especially now, though Yukino did have those final exams creeping up, they had been gliding by easily as far as council work was concerned.Really, the only time she could recall Yukino so jittery and out of sorts... was during _that _time. She felt a chill despite the nearly scalding water coursing over her. There had been more than enough to occupy Yukino's attention then.

"Could there really be something now to... to..." _To compare with _that

A light tapping sent ripples through the stream of her thoughts, but did little more than remind her that she should be doing more than thinking now. She reached for the shampoo, worried mind creating progressively grimmer scenarios around her friend. The soft knocking reached her ear once more. She paused now, wondering what it was, then looked askance at the wall. _Leave it to Fujino to reserve a room where I'm going to be knocked out by a flying shower attachment, s_he thought darkly, but the noise came again, louder, and she knew it wasn't the plumbing. _Is that the door? Why doesn't Yukino answer it? _A few seconds later, the knock came again; definitely a door knock. Haruka growled and jumped from the shower. She strode into the room proper, wrapping a towel about herself as she stepped from the steamy bathroom.

"Yukino, why..." The question died on her lips, its recipient nowhere in the room. Brows furrowed in confusion and some amount of worry, she walked to the door and peered through the peephole. _Wha-what's she doing out there? _Haruka opened the door and Yukino stumbled back in.

"I guess maybe I shouldn't have turned in the room key yet." She said sheepishly, "But then, we're already checked out now, won't need to do it on our way down."

"So, they let you check out... in your pajamas... with no luggage, and come back up to the room?"

"This is a nice hotel; the staff is very accommodating." Yukino answered, relieved that Haruka had directed her attention towards the the staff and away from her own little bungle. She'd just been looking around for something, anything else to do, and had seen the key lying on the table... perhaps she had been feeling just a little scrambled at that moment.

Haruka thought it was more likely that the staff didn't want to do anything else to aggravate them, but kept that to herself.

"Oh, Haruka-chan, you're dripping all over the floor! And I think I accidentally packed up all of your clothes already." Haruka looked and saw their packed bags and the room tided, the only clothes now visible Yukino's spare uniform laid out on the bed and the pajamas her partner still wore.

"I'll get them out, you go back in and finish up." Yukino told her. Haruka smiled, bemused with her flustered friend, and some of her worries evaporated. Her gloomy worries of a minute earlier seemed silly when watching Yukino now; her friend might have something on her mind, but how much trouble could it be if she could still find time to worry about being embarrassed or getting the carpet wet? In any case, her suggestion sounded as good an idea as standing here dripping, so she went to do as Yukino said. Simultaneously, Yukino keyed in on a very pleasant discovery, though were Haruka to turn around for any reason she probably would have wondered about the wide-eyed ogling that Yukino was managing to get done. But she didn't, and soon wood and deep red paint obscured the mesmerizing view, allowing Yukino to shake off her trance-like state. She noticed her lungs nagging her and breathed again, blushing. It wasn't as though that were the most she'd ever seen of Haruka. Since their childhood they had shared a bath many of times, but... Yukino wasn't taking a bath, and was not thinking the thoughts of a bathing person, and that seemed to make a profound difference. _Oh, this is what _started_ all this!. _It just seemed the most natural thing in the world for her eyes to always be drawn to her loved one. _Wait, this did start when Shizuru noticed, but I haven't been... _oddly enough, she realized that despite everything that had been happening, the beginnings of trip had served to neatly suppress those more errant thoughts.

Her conversing with Shizuru, both the nice and not so nice ones, working to evade Haruka's concern, and all time she spent trying to discern why she had allowed herself to be put in this situation had been very much distracting. Ruefully, Yukino admitted to herself that this stress had probably helper her more than just a midge. These mishaps had forced her to stay on her toes and pay attention to her surroundings, and consequently she had observed some interesting aspects of Haruka that she would never have turned her eye to, stuck thinking of Haruka as more or less an alternately tragic and wondrous fantasy. But now... Shizuru had withdrawn her mischievous talons, there hadn't been any more mishaps, and Haruka had managed to go through more than a day--an eternity as far as Haruka was concerned--without so much as a grumble under her breath about the "Bubuzuke woman"... at least not with any real malice. Really now, it probably wouldn't hurt anything to daydream for a while. Wouldn't hurt, not much, probably just about as much as Haruka was wearing right now... Yukino allowed her imagination to run away with her, just a little bit.

"Why don't you go join me in the shower then?" Yukino bolted upright, stifling a cry. She hadn't heard her partner's approach. Her next breath caught fast in her throat as Haruka's words filtered through the surprise.

"Ha... wha-what was that, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asked disjointedly, looking at Haruka with glasses askew. Haruka blinked, stopping in the act of rubbing a towel lightly over her damp hair.

"I said, 'why don't you go jump in the shower then?' It's already a quarter of nine, and our train leaves at twenty-five after."

"Oh! I mean, of course, Haruka-chan. I'll be just a moment." She scurried to the bathroom as quickly as she could without running outright, flushing furiously at her mishearing. Haruka lifted an eyebrow, wondering what thoughts she might have interrupted. She was mostly glad, though, sure that Yukino could not have blushing so cutely over something at all depressing. Nodding in satisfaction at her conclusion, she turned her mind towards trying to figure out why she might think Yukino's blushing was so cute.Another knock at the door kept her from dwelling overlong on that, though. It turned out to be a staff maid, come to clean up the room for the next occupants.

"We need just a few more minutes, my partner here was premature in checkout." Haruka explained, "She's still in the shower, in fact, we couldn't leave right now if we wanted too." The woman was aging and matronly, a head shorter than Haruka, but far more imposing figure than that stature usually warranted. She looked like, had she been so inclined, she could have been forceful enough to cause trouble for Haruka. Today, though, she had a youthful gleam in her eye, set off rakishly by an eyebrow arching in amusement above it.

"Oh ho? Just how long would you like me to wait? Really, couldn't you just save us both some time and go in there with her now?"

"Eh!? What do you... " Realization dawned as she recalled the circumstances of their reservation. "Oh, no! It's-"

"Now don't you get all shy with me, young lady. Nothing wrong with a couple of young girls getting some time to themselves. But, while I _do_ hope you've had a nice, memorable time that you can treasure 'til you're old as me, but the fact is that I'm _already _old, and a touch impatient, so could you maybe save any more until you get back home? The room check out, it was recorded, and I have a schedule to keep." While Haruka stood speechless trying to form her tongue around some response, the maid chuckled and left her.

"Really! An employee shouldn't just come out and say things like _that _to their guests." Haruka gasped out, "What I might do with Yukino is none of her business anyway!" Haruka paused for a moment in her anger, thinking about what she had just said, "Er, that is, I _mean, _what we might, what Yukino, ahem, to say, er... the nerve of her!" Forestalling too much more brooding on the encounter was her partner's emergence from her shower. Yukino stared at Haruka grumbling to herself, oblivious to her presence, before venturing,

"Er, Haruka-chan?" Haruka snapped her head around.

"Ah, Yukino!"

"Is everything alright?"

"Well... yes. A cleaning woman came by, and... and... she said we need to get out of here quickly because we're checked out, so let's get out of here."

"All... right, Haruka-chan," Yukino replied slowly, "I"ll hurry up and get dressed."

"Okay, but I'm going to wait out in the hall. If a certain maid thinks to stop by early, a certain maid is going to learn about what you do and don't say to your guests." If she didn't have enough to go on already, this was enough to make Yukino think that the maid had not just stopped by to leave a friendly notification. She wondered what might have happened, to rile Haruka up so much. Though, really, accomplishing that wasn't _too_ difficult. Minutes later, after Yukino had dressed and given the room one last sweep for forgotten possessions, she joined her partner with pack in hand and they set off down the hall. Finally feeling safe in the elevator, Haruka gave a breath of relief that quickly changed to a choking cough when a familiar voice called after them.

"Bye-bye, lovebirds! Maybe I'll see you for your anniversary?" Through closing doors the pair glimpsed the staff maid walk into view. One wave and a large, outrageously exaggerated wink, and she was gone. Yukino raised a hand to her mouth, not needing a mirror to know that she was doing her best impression of a steamed beet, but seeing the same when she cast a glance over to Haruka was surprising. _What does she have to be embarrassed about, she's not angry?_ They caught one another's eye, and the sight was enough to make them both crack into smiles and chuckles. Yukino felt she had extra reason for her mirth. Just a few short days ago, as she had seen first hand when they had arrived, Haruka would have been livid after such a remark. Might she actually be loosening up, taking more of life in and trying less to shove it around to suit her? Yukino didn't know, she just knew that Haruka smiled for a few seconds, before she took on a grumpy mask again.

"So indecent. Even if that room _had _been used for its proper purpose, that would have been indecent."

"I don't know, Haruka-chan, I'm sure she meant well."

"Mm." Was Haruka's unconvinced response, but Yukino noticed that she let a smile break out for another few seconds, about the time it took for the elevator to stop.

It opened into the lobby and any traces of amusement faded as Haruka walked through. She went quickly, without sparing even a passing glance to the concierge. Yukino felt bad, though. Nothing had _really_ been his fault, so she stopped for a polite bow as if to say, "thank you and sorry aobut all this" and hurried after Haruka with a cheerful wave. Peeking back as she left, Yukino did not know if she had ever seen a person with such stark relief in his face as he did while watching his esteemed guests depart.

Their travel home was so mundane as to be almost unusual. They made their train in a timely manner, and found themselves in a crowded train compartment, the traveling much busier here in the middle of the week than in the morning of their initial departure. They both wondered about how their absence might have effected the academy, Haruka infinitely more prepared to assume the worst. The talked about the reconstruction that was finally about to get started, and about classes, and about the University and the entrance exams Haruka recently took. Yukino hoped that she did well, remembering fondly how feverishly Haruka had worked and studied for them. At last, they watched the island they called home coming into view with anticipation, more than Yukino would ever have thought she'd feel before leaving it. They disembarked and couldn't help but stand and bask in the relative calm of their little city. They set off walking into the town, relishing the ease of movement, and Haruka was soon able to hail a taxi.

"To the academy." Haruka instructed.

"No problem."

The already short trip was abridged further as they neared the academy, ending before they reached the schools inner sanctum.

"Just drop us of at the curb here, by the gate, no need to go up the drive." Haruka directed brusquely, flinty eyes on the welcoming committee that had just come into view on the sidewalk.

"No problem." The driver said in monotone, entirely unimpressed with this one fare amidst the day's worth. He just made sure to get his money, and drove away.

"Look, Yukino, we won't have to wait for the President, or go track her down." Yukino hid a groan of consternation. She had strongly hoped to avoid meeting back up with Shizuru quite yet. Much as she did want to have a discussion with the President over what did and did not constitute "helping", she wasn't mentally prepared to parry the inevitable probing and questioning that would go hand in hand with the discussion. Haruka walked with deliberate unhurriedness to the smiling-- or at least half-smiling-- pair waving at them.

"Miss President." She said evenly. .

"Suzushiro-san." Shizuru returned.

"Kuga-san." Yukino supplied next, relieved at the civility with which this had started out.

"Kikukawa-san." Natsuki nodded.

"Did you two have a nice time?" Shizuru inquired cordially, and Yukino winced inwardly at the entirely too innocent expression on her face. Haruka gaped at her, but only for a moment.

"Hmph. Yes, yes we did," She began with a certain aloofness, "Yukino and I are far too resourceful to be thrown off by mistakes from... other departments. No matter how bumbling, shortsighted, and foolish those mistakes may have been." That aloofness turned out rather short-lived, to the surprise of no one, and those last words tended towards an escalation to a more habitual decibel level for Haruka. "Still, not everybody is likely to be so adoptive, we should probably reexamine _who _gets put in charge of matters like this."

"I think you mean adaptive, Haruka-chan." Yukino added when Haruka had finished.

"Whatever, Yukino." Haruka whispered quietly over to her partner.

"I am glad that such able persons were selected, if that was the case." Shizuru answered demurely, unfazed, "And I agree, Suzushiro-san. There were obviously some issues in planning for this assignment," _No sidewalk passion after all, Natsuki. Ah, and I was almost looking forward to it. _"And I take full responsibility."

"That's right!" Haruka half-shouted, "It's time for... ah... to be uncovered, and..." She trailed off, her sentence broken and falling piecemeal from a slack jaw.

"I am not one who enjoys seeing mistakes made, particularly not her own. To that end, I do wish tomorrow's discourse to be fulfilling and efficient, correcting the problems brought forth with minimal fuss." Haruka stared at the President, then swiftly composed herself.

"Ah, of course, Miss President."

"I also have one small request with regards to that." Shizuru continued smoothly, "I only became aware of your difficulties in later contact--I apologize that you had to go through that--and I would like to receive a clearer picture of what was involved. To do so, then, if it is not too much trouble, might I borrow Kikukawa-san for a short while?" Shizuru was the absolute picture of humility and innocence. Yukino, recognizing that this was taking her somewhere she was not quite ready to go, spoke up.

"I would be more than happy to, Fujino-san."

"How nice. I'm sure that you're longing to get home and back settled, but this won't take long." Shizuru smiled.

"Pardon, Fujino-san." Yukino started again, "That is, I _would _be more than happy too, ordinarily, but might I make another suggestion?"

"Oh?"

"I, ah feel it would be more my duty to... reorganize our agenda for resuming council business, yes, especially as Haruka-chan requested that nobody cover in our absence. I have so many things I could be doing to prepare for tomorrow already." Yukino warmed to her half-truth, "Haruka-chan," she turned to her partner, "Don't you think that if you took this opportunity to discuss with her instead, the President and the Executive Director could get much more accomplished than just a secretary?" Haruka's eyes brightened.

"Why yes, Yukino, that sounds like a fine idea. Unless you have any objections, President Fujino?"

Shizuru took a moment for a light appraising glance towards Yukino. _Interesting, Kikukawa-san, and not altogether bad. But why would you do such a thing? You're certainly not getting shy on me now, yes? _Shizuru thought on various ways she could avoid having the better part of her evening occupied by Suzushiro, but ultimately discounted them. _If you want this so very much, you can have it._

"None, Suzushiro-san. I don't know why I did not think of this myself." Shizuru looked sidelong at Natsuki. _With the proper company, I can find any evening enjoyable ..._

"I guess I can walk Kikukawa-san back to your dorm room then, no need for me to get in your way. Can I get your bag?" Natsuki stepped towards Haruka and held out her hand. Haruka started, then nodded an unsure thanks, surprised at the normally unapproachable girl's helpfulness. The suitcase exchanged hands, and Natsuki tried to avoid the small pout Shizuru pointed in her direction. _Just because you didn't get out of your evening with Suzushiro doesn't mean I'm sticking around for it. _Natsuki did hope that Shizuru wouldn't be holding this against her though.The President and Director moved along the path, followed a minute later by the other two.

"Thank you, Kuga-san."

"No problem, Yukino." Natsuki dropped back into her less formal mannerisms. Though she had only done this to avoid spending more time with somebody that grated on her nerves, curiosity got the better of her as they started towards the dormitories.

"So, did you really have an okay time? I mean, after Shizuru stopped--"

"Yes, Kuga-san, we really did." A simple smile from Yukino did much to ease Natsuki's concern.

"That's good. I know it was probably a pain in the ass, but I just wanted to let you know that Shizuru... I mean, she really didn't mean any harm by..." Natsuki remembered that Shizuru had had a reason for being a "pain in the ass", and that she probably shouldn't say too much about it, but still wanted to defend her girlfriend somehow. Yukino solved that issue with a display of forgivingness, or at least forgetfulness, that Natsuki wasn't sure she'd have felt in reversed situations.

"I know. She did stop when I asked her to, no hard feelings there. I, ah, take it she shared the real meaning behind this then?"

"Yeah, she was being pretty obvious about it. Didn't take me long to get it out of her, I know how to work Shizuru." Natsuki said nonchalantly, "Er, I did notice when she called that you didn't sound so good..."

"You were there? Hmm. No, likely I didn't. I'm doing much better now, though, after we enjoyed a few days together without any more little surprises."

"Does that mean... 'mission accomplished'" Natsuki asked, knowing Yukino wouldn't let on as much unless asked pointedly.

"Not quite, Kuga-san." Yukino averted her gaze downward. She built half a smile and continued, "I'm still working on that part. But... I think that it's no longer as impossible as I once did."

"Seriously, with Suzushiro?" Natsuki said, genuinely surprised. If the girl was right, there went the biggest flaw in this scenario that Natsuki could think of. She shrugged off her surprise, not wanting to hurt Yukino's confidence. "Eh, I guess she can't be any more hard-headed than I was before." They walked a few more moments in silence.

"Well, maybe she can..." They started simultaneously, then laughed. They were just approaching Yukino and Haruka's room.

"Even so, I do love my Haruka-chan." Yukino continued, surprising herself at how easily she was able to form those words now, especially to someone else. Natsuki regarded her with a careful eye.

"Good luck, Yukino." She said at last, and Yukino smiled.. Shizuru might have a way with words, but it was nice to talk to somebody without having to wonder, just a little bit, about their sincerity every time she turned around. Yukino thanked her for her help before unlocking the door and taking the cases inside. She closed it with a thankful wave, and turned to face home with a contented sighShe started unpacking and gathering their used clothing for the laundry and hanging what they hadn't worn. Finishing in what seemed no time at all, she cast about for other activities. She hooked up her laptop and checked for any personal messages, surfed around and tried to interest herself in the workings of the world, but in the end she just kicked off her shoes and lay in her own bed, savoring the familiarity. Haruka would probably be home soon.

Outside of the room two heads popped out from over the top of the stairwell, looking down at Yukino's door and the retreating Natsuki with the widest Cheshire grins manageable by the mortal mouths of high school girls.

"Chie..."

"I know, Aoi..."

"You think _that's_ enough to go by? 'Real reason', 'with Suzushiro', 'I do love my Haruka-chan?'"

"Maybe, maybe not. Put together with what we _do _know, and it starts to form together pretty well."

"This is so sweet! Yukino-chan, we're rooting for you!"

"We sure are, we sure are, and from the looks of things, she could still use that support."

"Right, she said there was no 'mission accomplished' yet, and we sure wouldn't want to ruin that by letting anybody know about this just yet. Gossip is one thing, but..." Aoi directed a "look" towards her partner in crime.

"Aoi, I'm injured, do you really think my humble self so heartless as to ruin budding love for the sake of mere gossip? I am wounded by such thoughts; sorely wounded, indeed!" She placed a hand over her heart. Aoi relaxed, despite her extravagance and theatrics she knew when Chie was being sincere.

"And besides," Chie continued, her gallant insulted knight expression flowing seamlessly into a more familiar smirk, "I want pictures, good ones. With tongue. But I get the feeling we're going to need to set up a photo studio. Come, fail lady, we have work to do!"

Haruka eyed with dismay the deep, vibrant orange bleeding into the sky out on the horizon. She felt guilty about having taken so long with Fujino while Yukino was back there all alone, but she just didn't get too many opportunities to have the famously slippery Bubuzuke Woman all to herself with no time restrictions or, "Now, now, Haruka-chan" from the the slightly more sensible, but still far too relaxed, vice president. It had been pleasant, yes it had. Haruka had enjoyed laying out some of the more outrageous foul-ups that Fujino had made in organization and what problems they had caused, and might have enjoyed it more, but for the fact that she had felt just a little silly when she was doing so. Those mix-ups just didn't seem nearly as important now as they had a few days ago. The annoyances with the room and some few other things were just that, annoyances; in addition, the way Yukino had seemed to at least temporarily benefit from some time off was more than enough to balance out the trip's original purpose falling through, at least in her opinion. Nonetheless, she _had _put on a grim, stony front for Fujino's pleasure, and they had hammered out the basics of transferring responsibility for planning off-island council ventures to the Executive Team. Now she rushed home to get to Yukino, already resigned to the fact that it was probably too late for Yukino to need help with anything, but still hurrying. She arrived with a growing smile and opened the door to the familiar sights of home. Sighing, she tapped a pair of fingers to her temple.

"Goodness, how much can that girl sleep?" Haruka considered the more or less hectic weekend they had just endured, that Yukino had been ill right before, and decided that she couldn't fault her friend. She did pull the glasses off of her before she could roll over and bend the frames again. Yukino looked as though she had dozed off while just laying on the still-made bed, fully clothed and all. She toyed with ways that she might try to make Yukino more comfortable, but most seemed more likely to wake her, and most likely she would do so at the most... questionable time, the way things had been lately. At loss now, Haruka considered a plan of action to replace the one that had fallen asleep. It was short consideration, after she spied the bathroom door. Showering was, after all, probably the one thing that she missed most when she had to work around the clock for any reason, so taking a few extras to make up time when she had the opportunity was welcome.

As she walked in, she spied a small bottle sitting on a shelf. Taking it up, she read the simple label of _Mint _across the bottle in ornate, flowing script. Belatedly, Haruka now remembered that line of similarly labeled scented shampoos; _Chocolate, Orange, and Cedar _sprang to mind. She remembered Yukino looking through them with some interest while they were out, but hadn't noticed her purchase any. Haruka removed the cap and took a light whiff, and very quickly noticed that it seemed to make her to think of a bit more than a simple hair care product. She shook her head and recapped the bottle, picking up hers instead.

This time, as opposed to the morning, her shower was what showers were meant to be, a chance to forget about worldly concerns in a timeless enjoyment. She was surprised to see that Yukino had roused when she got out, though only enough to undress and burrow under the covers. Burrow pretty well, actually, she almost looked like she were cold. Haruka frowned, hoping she didn't have a fever, but a light touch of the back of her fingers to Yukino's cheek was enough to dispel that worry. At least she looked more comfortable now.

"We'll talk tomorrow." She said, more to herself than because she thought Yukino might hear. She felt a touch of annoyance at having lost a chance while she was showering, but tried to console herself. She'd finally be able to get to the bottom of whatever was bothering Yukino so much on the morrow. She resolved to show Yukino that she had no reason to have to hid anything. Like as not she'd find out when she woke that a building had fallen over in her absence and she would be expected to rebuild it, so she endeavoured to sleep._ At least I'm used to that by now. Might have more important things to do tomorrow, though, _she eyed the lump in the blankets across the room, _wouldn't that be a shame, have to tell Fujino to handle her own problems? _It was funny, though, as she lay down to sleep. Though she could have sworn that she was entirely comfortable a moment before, the room now felt oddly chilled, and oppressively silent. Something was missing... but she did her best to shrug it off and drifted into a decent slumber.


	9. Chapter 9

_Haruka-chan,_

_ Good morning. I woke early and decided to speak to a few of my instructors before class, so please don't worry about me being gone. I might not make the early meeting, but I will be at the later one._

_-Yukino _

"If it's not one thing it's another..."

The note with Yukino's precise, careful handwriting was unceremoniously dumped into the waste bin as Haruka set about her morning routine. Wanting to speak to a teacher Haruka could understand, but did she have to miss the meeting? This was _not _the way to get reorganized after an absence. For that very reason, it also struck her as being quite unlike the meek girl. Yukino, who's calling card in the past may well have been the presence of Suzushiro Haruka, slipping out in the dead of morning? It wasn't strange enough to be cause for concern though, right? Unless..._ Is she avoiding me? _Haruka considered the notion for only a moment before dismissing it. Yukino had quite clearly stated her intentions regarding her mysterious problem, and that is all there was to it._ Academics comes first for students. Quite responsible of her, really. Nothing I can do about it in any case. _Haruka punctuated her rumination with a satisfied nod, though she felt generally irritated for the remainder of the morning, to the general dismay of the student body.

Yukino was entirely unaware of the trouble her actions would soon be visiting on the campus, though, as she plodded through the academy's many intersecting paths. Truthfully, she _had _planned on going to see her English teacher, to ask him about a peculiar point of grammar she'd had trouble while researching for an essay the previous week... but even she knew that was just an excuse. As if to belie the point, she continued to put one foot in front of the other with no destination. _Today then, right? I'll do it... today?_ She focused on the statement, trying to will it into something reinforcing, rather than questioning. Why today? She had not a single idea why, but it seemed pointless to wait any longer. _Haruka-chan's just going to keep getting further away if I wait._ She couldn't continue as she had with her distant, one-sided yearning, that was clear. Even more clear was that she also could not merely "forget," or abandon her feelings, not without trying. She would _not_ quit without giving her all; Haruka would expect no less of her. Haruka would _do _no less _for _her.

_I've been living all this time on borrowed strength; Haruka-chan's strength. Yukino knew that, but also knew that she was a better person for Haruka's friendship. I've become braver and truer to my self, I know I have! But it's all been on loan. Watch me, Haruka-chan! I think today I can do it. I'm going to find you and tell you I love you. Things are different now, I'm different now, because of you. _

And it really was different. Yukino thought of Haruka and, instead of seeing angry, accusing eyes, she saw that pure plea for trust, that gentle coaxing for the honesty they had always shared. She was still afraid of rejection, still faced the turmoil of not knowing what to say or when or how, or what to do if her world came crashing down around her ears, but that sort of worrying certainly had not helped her up until now. She was left with only one option: she would charge ahead with all the single-minded confidence of assured success ahead of her, like someone she knew, and see what happened.

_BONG! _

The solid, bronze tone of the clock tower's bell interrupted her epiphany and reminded her that it was time for class. While she guiltily remembered that other considerations awaited her attentions today--class, council work, and the like--Yukino was now confident that, even if she had to wait until the end of the day, she _would_ finish what she had resolved to do. Feeling tonnes lighter, she startled a couple necking in the bushes as she let loose an uncharacteristic whoop of joy, just to hear the sound of her own determination.

* * *

"The Kendo Club?"

"Yes, Suzushiro-san, the Kendo Club," Shizuru paused sipping her tea to calmly repeat herself. "In brief, it would appear that some individual forced entry to their dojo this past Monday evening." Setting her teacup down, Shizuru opened a drawer in her desk, pulled out a manila folder and pushed it slightly forward towards Haruka. _How considerate, _Shizuru thought to herself as she retrieved her cup, _how very nice some people are, no? Ah, my Natsuki, you were saved a rather troublesome task._

"These documents reflect the statements given by those members that witnessed the state of the facility upon discovery, as well as the results of preliminary questioning that the Executive Team members undertook as per your regulations." Shizuru peppered her speech with all the manner of words that she knew would help lull Haruka into a sense of authoritarian familiarity. The girl across the desk opened the folder and scanned through the papers.

"This happened sometime between last night and this morning?" She finally asked.

"Correct. There is, unfortunately, no more-precise time frame available."

"There was nothing stolen?" Haruka asked, wanting to verify her cursory scan of the document.

"Nothing."

"All due respect, Miss President, but why has this been given to such a high-priority concern? Such actions are immoral for certain, but this level of focus is a bit much for some mud and wall scrawling. In fact, if this was so important, why wasn't I informed earlier, when it was first discovered?" Haruka didn't mention that she was also almost disappointed that there hadn't been a more threatening form of uncontrollable criminal activity in the absence of her lawful bulwark.

"Ah, you see, Haruka-san, it's not so much the perpetrators who are causing concern, but instead the 'victims,'" Reito spoke up for the first time, perhaps sensing Haruka's burgeoning irritation and believing that interaction with himself rather than the President might help calm her. "Captain Takeda informed us that some members of the Kendo Society appear a little _too_ prideful, and have their own, very vocal ideas regarding 'justice' for the responsible party. Needless to say, these ideas are not the type academy would endorse, nor anything most parents would be pleased to hear of."

"Right, right," Haruka muttered. She was mildly surprised to hear of such restraint from Takeda. Then again, he had had his run-ins with the Executives before, and was a person that _would _be cautious of running afoul of her again. "We don't need a bunch of pumped-up vigilantes who carry their brains in their silly sticks running around messing things up." Haruka added, in her own thoroughly direct manner, to Reito's delicate discourse. "Names," she barked tersely.

"They should be included in the report," he said, gesturing to the folder in her hand. She thrust her hand behind her, apparently to an empty seat.

"Yukino, I need you to arrange a..." She progressed that far before she grasped the fact that nobody had taken the folder from her, then another few silent moments before remembering that there was nobody in the seat in which Yukino customarily placed herself. The other two shared a glance unbeknownst to her as Haruka turned to the empty desk for a moment.

"Ahem. That is, Reito-san, would you get passes out to those competitors that they may be excused from class prior to the lunch period, with instructions to come see me?" The lightest touch of redness on her cheeks and the sudden, stiff politeness to her tone were the only signs of Haruka's discomfiture, but that was enough for the two in the room who, apart from Yukino, were the only people who could lay any sort of claim to knowing Haruka well.

"My pleasure," Reito responded graciously. Glancing at his watch, he straightened from his reclining position against a table.

"I do believe we are done here, then, and I am sure that you're eager to get started," Shizuru said with a cheery smile. "Unless you have anything further to bring forward, Suzushiro-san?"

"Nothing." She answered distractedly, already contemplating the myriad things she planned to make her future captives aware of.

"Then let us be off." The Student Council President paused, "Oh, but when you do see Kikukawa-san next, might you please let her know that I wish to speak with her?" Shizuru said, as though an afterthought to the rest of the mornings' exchange.

"Sure thing," Haruka said immediately, and frowned. Her mind firmly wrenched away from thoughts of her suspects, to the still-nagging ones regarding her partner. _Damn it, _she cursed inwardly, sure that there was something deserving cursing. She stepped out the door hurriedly, suddenly unwilling to be in company longer than she had to be. She was halted by a touch on her shoulder a few paces down the hallway.

"Reito-san?"

"Haruka-san, I don't mean to delay you. I just wanted to, ah, talk to you; as a friend."

"About what?" Haruka said bluntly, putting hands impatiently on her hips.

"Specifically, this last weekend. Did anything, er... happen? To you?" Reito knew Shizuru well enough to know that something was in the works with the Executive partners', "errand," but Haruka wasn't showing any of the usual signs of having fallen for one of those machinations. She had been far too calm—-as calm as Haruka ever could be--while Reito had on more than one occasion seen her rendered to a near-inarticulate state by Shizuru and her manipulations. Shizuru always managed to be leave _just _enough clues for Haruka to know she has been intentionally outmaneuvered. There would be no fun in it for her, otherwise.

"I found out that the Bubuzuke woman would make a terrible travel agent," Haruka muttered, mostly to herself. This gave Reito even more doubts. Haruka _certainly _did not offer such light comments on the President's antics, and there _must _have been antics, though Reito felt doubts beginning to form.

"Other than that, everything went... it went, that's what it did," Haruka dropped her eyes, and Reito now had to somehow work out the Gordian Knot of a bashful Haruka before he could even think to unravel the rest of this mystery. "I think the time off did Yukino some good," Haruka spoke again, finishing her statement with the beginnings of a warm smile, but just as suddenly as this seldom-seen side of Haruka had surfaced, Reito watched it slide back beneath the waves her usual manner. She turned around abruptly and bid farewell in a more business-like manner: "Thanks for your concern, Reito-san, but we're doing fine. If you want the specifics, you can ask Fujino what happened, I told her all about it yesterday."

"I'm glad to hear," Reito finally said, raising his hands in surrender with a disarming grin. "I'll see you later then."

"Right. Goodbye, Reito-san."

He could only stand and watch the Executive Director walk off, a small but supposedly constant part of his world flipped over on end and rolling away.

"Perhaps I was premature when I said she would be 'cheerful,'" a murmur floated softly from behind him. Shizuru stood behind him, following the departing girl with an appraising eye.

"So, is the real Haruka-san still in Osaka somewhere?" Reito inquired with a forced chuckle.

"However," She continued, ignoring his question, "I would still say that your gentlemanly attentions are not needed. I repeat, Kanzaki-san, what kind of person do you take me for?" Her light chime-like laugh did little to clear the mood of the thoroughly confused young man as she walked away, leaving him baffled in the first-floor hallway.

* * *

"Yukino-san!"

"Mmph, hi Mai-shan." Yukino replied from her desk, immobile and smothered by her friend's enthusiastic hug.

"It's so good to see you again. I was worried."

"Worried?" Yukino echoed, surprised. Mai nodded, looking sheepish now that Yukino had returned perfectly fine. A tad defensively, Mai filled her in on all of the mystery and speculation that had managed to follow her departure. Yukino was taken aback, she hadn't thought that so many people would really pay attention, aside from breathing a sigh of relief that Master Sergeant Haruka was away for a while. She also could hardly believe that Shizuru had not concocted some cover story for them, but who knows what might have been going on in that woman's head? Yukino had given up trying to figure that one out. She shunted those thoughts away as she listened to Mai list a few of the more wild rumors. Yukino smiled, she could not help it, knowing that the truth could have stood with them more than easily.

"Thanks for your concern, but Harada-san was right. Just a few... interesting happenings." Yukino couldn't quite bring herself to say "coincidences," it felt too much like a lie.

"See? Told you Mai-kun," Chie, who had been silent during Mai's rendition, said.

"Okay, okay, you were right, but I couldn't help but worry a little bit. Who knows what could have happened to her?"

"Oh, I get the feeling that she wouldn't have objected to a _few_ thing that could have happened." Aoi replied glibly, drawing both Mai and Yukino's eyes to her. Aoi seemed oblivious to their stares, and Mai shrugged and turned away. Yukino's eyes lingered just a little bit longer, her patience rewarded when Aoi locked their eyes and winked, ever so slyly.

"Right, Yukino's certainly a capable girl," Chie added. "Especially with the Director there and all, even if something did come up they could handle it. Hey Yukino, what do you say? Were you _capable _with Suzushiro-san? Were you able to _handle _everything?" Yukino blinked, but shook her head. The weirdness of the past few days must suddenly be catching up with her, she decided. _Shizuru has me jumping at shadows, doesn't she? I'm better than this._

"Ah...of course, we were able to take care of the few minor difficulties that came up," Yukino answered guardedly, looking between one far-too-knowledgeable grin to the other. A few minutes later as the tardy instructor brushed into the room and started class, much to Yukino's relief. She took the chance to rest her eyes and try to rationalize away her paranoia.

* * *

Haruka thumbed through the files on the three boys she was about to meet with. She was waiting, already far longer than she should have had to, for them to arrive. The files were already worn and abused at the corners, a telling sign of how many times she'd been through them. The activity kept her mind alert and occupied, and now she could be pretty sure that she hadn't missed anything important. Fingers twitching impatiently, she grabbed at the folder, but the the door was thrown open as her hand closed over it. She turned sharply toward those who entered, the warning spark in her gaze going either unnoticed or unheeded. _"To hold in esteem human courtesans," indeed! They need to look through their code again._ Haruka frowned, too, at their dress: the three entered garbed in their padded uniforms, sticks, chestplates, and all. The only missing element was the face masks that may have served to ensure their fool, empty heads didn't float away, but the dolts probably thought they looked more dashing this way, or something. They knelt in the middle of the floor, ignoring the provided chairs.

"What, have you been in uniform all day?" She snapped, getting the conversation off to a cordial beginning.

"No, we have practice during lunch, and didn't want this little appointment to inconvenience us too much." So that explained why they were so late, crossing campus to their dorms to change. _The nerve! Practice? Everybody else manages to get changed _after _class. Do they think this can intimidate me? _She oriented on the boy in the middle_--_Daiki Watanabe, she identified by the picture in the report, she could not recall having had any need to see him before, surprisingly--who had spoken up.

"Do you know why you've been brought here today?" She asked, a dangerous gleam in her eyes. The tardiness, inappropriate dress, and flippant attitude were all things that Haruka had to deal with on a daily basis, but today she felt her temper rising all the quicker. She did not feel threatened of course--never, not Suzushiro Haruka!--but the three of them before her, arranged closely in their camaraderie, seemed to highlight the lack of personage in Haruka's own company, setting thoughts and feelings she had no business worrying about now to roiling in the back of her mind.

"What, did you lose our statements or something? Doesn't matter anyway, we'll have this finished before you can get your team off their lazy asses." Haruka's mind blanked on all her other concerns and she gaped for a long moment at the sheer _audacity _of this boy, hardly believing she had not had to deal with him before today. _Things really _have_ gotten out of hand without us here._

"No!" She answered, voice rising sharply. "I just wanted a follow-up interrogation, to make sure you didn't _lie _last time. _I _wasn't there this morning." She said, deliberately using the words "interrogation," and, "lie." She definitely did not want them used to considering themselves the untouchable victims in this case.

"Of course you weren't there this morning, probably had more important things to do. Powder your nose or something? And what do you mean by interr--" He began to reply scathingly, an indignant expression settled arrogantly across his brow. She slammed her hand startlingly hard into the desk and he twitched in surprise, silencing.

"Just a few questions, _boys_." She gritted her teeth, but refused to rise to the bait of his insults, not wanting to give Yukino reason to calm her down and bring her attention back to their purpose here.

"So, your dojo was the victim of some vandalism. Any idea why?"

"None," he started, surly as only a teenage boy just taken down a peg could be. "Just some idiot that thought, wrongly, they could get away with it."

"Of course they were 'wrong' if they think they can pull one over on me. Just answer the questions, I don't need your comments. Did any members recently have a confrontation with another student? Somebody try out for the team and not pass? Think carefully before you answer, don't underestimate how much the Executive arm knows! If I catch you in a lie..." Haruka narrowed her eyes, playing this bluff for all it was worth. Really, that would have been a good thing to look up before calling these three. It was not like her to have missed something so obvious, she always seemed to have every relevant scrap of information on hand, in the past...

Daiki took a deep breath before he answered, but there was not a trace of dishonesty about him as he said, "No."

Haruka blinked, getting her head back in her duty. "Good. Okay, the door. There was no sign of forced entry. Could this have been an inside job?"

"No! Director, there's no way that one of our--"

"Of course, of course," she waved his objection away, "But I didn't ask for your opinion. Just answer the question: are all of the keys are accounted for?"

"Yes."

"All right. Good job finally figuring out how 'questions' and 'answers' work, by the way," Haruka added with a touch of annoyed sarcasm. "That's about all for the crime."

The boys started to rise.

"That does _not_ mean we're done here. Sit!" The two on the sides (the word "cronies" sprung to mind) looked to their leader, who shrugged and knelt back down.

"Now I need to ask you about something else, a wrong that hasn't happened yet. Do you all know what a vigilante is?" She saw Daiki's eyes tighten perceptively, but he and the others did not offer an answer. Haruka decided to help them.

"That would be some foolish person who, without access to all of the information, resources, experience, training, and discipline that the proper authorities do, thinks that he can go out and take the law into his own hands. In most cases, that ends up very badly for this person, one way or another. You wouldn't think that anybody you know would be so stupid as to attempt this dangerous practice, would you?" While in the midst of her explanation, she rose from her desk and circled it, so that she ended up directly in front of her guests at the end. Folding her arms and leaning back against the desk, she awaited the response that the boy's growing tension marked as inevitable.

"It's not stupid!" He shouted, leaping to his feet, "Somebody insulted our honor, the honor of our dojo, and the honor of our captain! Nobody but us has any claim to the person who defiled our ground, we can't trust you to yell your way through it." _Well_ that_ was easy,_ Haruka thought with a touch of gratification, getting a confession was rarely so simple. Then, Daiki did himself a great disservice as he continued,

"If you were any good at your job, you would have been working on this when the rest of your team was. Where the hell were you when this was going on, in some cushy meeting, or were you still all cuddled up in bed?" He spat the words. This was the last straw for Haruka.

"What!? You consume to tell _me _what _I_ need to be doing? You think that this school revolves around you and your ridiculous sport? You think your silly 'honor' has anything to do with this? This is an insult to _me_ that the vandals would pull this stunt. Your captain agrees with me; he's certainly not supporting you foolishness. He would be the _first_ one running around waving his stick if he thought this was a good idea. You do anything else in this rain of thought, and he's going to find out about it. If that doesn't dissuade you, vigilantism is _also _illegal, and _I_ would be coming after _you_ next. This is _my _responsibility, _my _job, and if you get in _my _way you'll find out firsthand why wrongdoers _do not cross_ Suzushiro Haruka!" The last statement was hurled into the young man's face with as much force or more than the finger jabbed into his padded chest, enough force to bow him backward slightly. He had the misfortune to receive the brunt of her attention, but the other two had been forced to draw back slightly from her wildly sweeping gestures as well. She straightened up and folded her arms.

"After we're done here I'll be going to have a look at your little playhouse for myself, and my partner and I will have this wrapped up in no time. That is, unless we also have to keep an eye on a bunch of surly children who don't know how to do what they're told!" She fixed each of them with a glare.

Haruka was never the quietest person, and her voice had escalated true to form by the end of her speech. Her guests, who had started out sneering and indignant, had progressed through rage, nervousness, doubt, and finally a disgruntled acceptance tinged with worry. She turned and stomped back behind the desk. They took that to mean, correctly this time, that they were dismissed. As Daiki walked out the door and into safety, however, he just had to offer his opinions once more.

"Fine! We'll have a good laugh watching you try to figure this out! Come get us when you need somebody who can get something done."

"Sure, I'll get one of you when we need a thick skull to break through the vandal's door!" Haruka called after him. As soon as they left she sat back down, hard, and fumed for a minute. Then a smile broke through her thundercloud demeanor, though it broke more like a ferocious lightning bolt than a ray of sunshine. God, _that felt good. They didn't have the guts to go up against me, they didn't. _She reached a hand to the corner of her desk.

"So, Yukino, you ready to go..." She trailed off when her hand met nothing but air and polished wood. _Where's my coff...? Oh. _Where Yukino was, that was the real question, she was reminded. The thunderclouds faded to a light drizzle, and she sighed, feeling suddenly lonely. Haruka did not really like the feeling, nor the severe unfamiliarity of it. She rose and walked back to the council room next door, but the coffee pot was empty as well. As she should have known, as Yukino was the only one who ever made any, and she the only one who drank any. Irritated now, and not feeling like brewing it herself, she decided to take one last look through her report before heading over to the dojo. Upon not finding it, she quickly remembered that she had left it on the desk in the other room, but that didn't help her feel any less frazzled. She mentally slapped herself for not asking Reito to get a message out to Yukino, and added another slap for not doing so herself. She had never _had _to let her partner know things in such a way; Yukino was always there to know about the plans, and always there to keep a hot drink ready, and to oversee the little details, and sure to pick up anything she left behind...

Haruka sighed again, and it felt like all the energy she'd found after getting back to work was gone... _just like Yukino_... she shook her head furiously. Yukino wasn't gone, she was probably just out to lunch right now, given the time. _I'll see her later at the after-school council meeting. _She also debated going to get Yukino now, but could not see how to get past the little detail of not knowing where she was. By the time Haruka found her, it would probably already be time for the next class, so Haruka started out toward the crime scene alone.

* * *

"The Kendo dojo?" Yukino repeated, puzzled. Aoi nodded an affirmative.

"Yes. You said you missed the council stuff this morning, so I thought I'd let you know. It looks like Suzushiro-san is doing some kind of investigation there right now."

"Thank you , Senou-san. I think I'd better go see her." Yukino had been thinking and stewing and rehearsing in every quiet moment that she'd had that day and, though not what she would call "fully prepared," it seemed that it was time to see Haruka again.

"Right. She could definitely use your help investigating; that's what I thought."

"What?" Yukino looked baffled for a moment, "Oh, yes, of course, investigation. That's why I need to get over there." Yukino amended, too quickly. Aoi smiled, and though it looked nothing more than an innocent expression of amusement, Yukino felt uneasy with it directed toward her. She had not forgotten Chie and Aoi's peculiar behavior from earlier. It was disconcerting to be the focus of those two.

"Better get over there, then." Yukino added unnecessarily, and hurried off. She turned her mind away from her two classmates as she walked, though could not help but wonder, too late, from whence Aoi's very specific knowledge had come. Her nerves had been jarring her since midday, and she felt she would be no more confident, likely less so, if she waited to see Haruka later today. She quickened, trying to outpace her uncertainties and reservations. She flowed through the throng of lunch-going students, making her way to the dojo as specified. As she passed the tennis courts, her heart leaped in her chest as she noticed the Kendo competitors practicing outside on a large spare mat.

There would be nobody else at the building. _Haruka only likes to use the whole team for operations when that many people are needed. This building isn't so large that she will feel the need to drag out the cavalry. She always has preferred to do as much as she could with just the two of us._ Yukino did wonder what might have happened to run the club outside, but that was secondary in her mind. She came up to the building, which looked sound on the outside, and entered.

Shortly thereafter, Haruka arrived.

"The area looks fine on the extortion, it appears that the defacing was all interior." She said to the air, as if expecting it to take careful note. She looked closely at the lock on her way in, noting that there were no fresh scratch-marks on the edges of the keyhole, as might have happened with an inexperienced or hasty lock picking. She strode in, and looked about. She first needed to find--

"Yukino?"

The young girl, standing in the center of the large training mat and gazing around at the floor and walls, looked up slowly. _Calm, Yukino, take it easy, _she told herself.

"Haruka-chan," She said conversationally, "somebody sure doesn't like the Kendo Club." The muddy shoe prints all over the floor and mat, rude drawings on the wall, and unflattering nicknames sketched on the nameplates were testament to that.

"I can't imagine why." Haruka muttered darkly, her conversation with the specimens of the club all-too fresh in mind.

"They don't seem to mind Takeda-san though, isn't that interesting?" Yukino continued in that same oddly dispassionate tone, absent even the curiosity with which she always pursued investigations. Haruka _might_ not have though anything odd about the way she spoke, there was not anything that unusual about it in itself, not for a girl who freely admitted that her mind was occupied by a private difficulty. It was Yukino's countenance, something in her eyes, that captured more of Haruka's concern. She looked briefly to the side to follow Yukino's gaze, and noted somewhere in the back of her mind that, yes, his nameplate had escaped the attentions of the vandals. The only thing she was _really_ thinking about then, though, was Yukino. Her partner's professed troubles, her disappearance today... and for that matter, her mysterious _re_appearance, here where Haruka could not have begun to expect seeing her.

"Uh, sure, that is odd. But how did you know I was going to be here?" That question among the others managed to win the race to her tongue.

"Senou-san told me about the investigation."

Haruka nodded. Senou and that other girl, Harada Chie, they certainly were well-informed, she thought dourly. Haruka and her partner stood, neither taking a step in any direction, unspeaking, nor even making a show of looking around in an investigative fashion. Haruka looked closer and found that despite her inexpressiveness and stillness, Yukino let off and aura of restlessness. Given time, Haruka thought Yukino would pluck up the courage to speak what was on her mind, but Haruka never felt she had enough time as it was. She took a few steps closer into the room.

"Your shoes, Haruka-chan." Yukino spoke up suddenly. Haruka froze with her foot poised just above the mat. She looked down and found Yukino's shoes neatly placed at the edge of the training area.

"Ah, thanks, Yukino." Haruka bent down to tug off her shoes. _I can show some respect for this playpen, even if those boys couldn't manage the same to me._ She stepped onto the mat now and directed her attention to Yukino. She opened her mouth once, shut it slowly, not sure what to say, then simply spoke what came to her lips as it came, all in a rush.

"Say, before we get started with the investigation, do you have anything else on your mind? No worries about putting a damper on our 'vacation' now. Nobody here but us, and the building isn't going to go anywhere." Haruka said it all quickly, but in that perceptively softer, compassionate tone Yukino heard only rarely. Yukino looked thoughtful.

She took a few steps of her own, bringing her face-to-face and scant inches from Haruka, close enough to feel uncomfortable to any but friends as close as they. She steeled her mind and started to draw upon all her careful rehearsing but discovered, to her chagrin, that she could not recall a thing. Everything from earlier in the day felt like it were years ago, another time, a long-forgotten time to the _now _that was so much more real, the _now_ who was standing before her, chest rising and falling lightly, with a few stray golden strands hanging before her face. Yukino could have groaned with disappointment, she had hoped that she would not feel like this again, that she could just talk straightforwardly this time. Stoic and strong and standing upright, that is what she had imagined.

Yukino looked up at the concerned but softly encouraging violet eyes and all disappointment in herself fled her mind. She saw somewhat there that told her what to do with the kind of doubtless assurance the likes of with Yukino only _thought _she had felt before. What Haruka wanted right now was easy to see through those windows, the desire to know what was on Yukino's mind and in her heart. Yukino could not deny that request. She looked into those eyes, with that broad, furrowed brow atop, and let her vision linger over Haruka's strong features. Her gaze fell down and traced paths around Haruka's mouth and lips: pursed, expectant, waiting. Yukino's arms moved of their own volition. She placed her hands on Haruka's shoulders, her fingertips brushing the silky blond tresses undulating down Haruka's neck. She rose up only just slightly on her toes. Haruka always seemed so larger-than-life, but she really wasn't much taller than Yukino herself. Her face drew closer to Haruka's now-perplexed expression, but Yukino closed her eyes to that, blocking out everything but the feeling of her lips meeting Haruka's as she had dreamed so often. Haruka stiffened, and Yukino felt hands come up and grasp her upper arms with a painful tightness. Yukino managed to feel fatally foolish for just a second, but she pushed that aside, determined to get as much out of this kiss as she could, absolutely sure that those strong hands on her arms would be pushing her away any second, and would be then keeping her away for every long, lonely second of her life afterwards.

Haruka tried to piece together her suddenly fractured thoughts. She had entertained no idea of what was coming as Yukino's face had inched closer to hers, not until the intention had become crystal clear. She stiffened up, and her hands rose to grasp Yukino's arms in a strong grip. She could have sworn that she had originally been moving to push Yukino away in surprise, but there was something very... vulnerable-feeling in the arms she grasped. The light weight of her friend's hands laying on her shoulders was in some way pacifying. There was also something else, a sudden shallowness of breath, a rush of hot feeling through her body that sapped her resistance. So, Haruka did not push away. She did not do anything for a few long moments, she just took in the warmth and feeling of Yukino with the same rapt attention that she had prepared to listen to her words.

Yukino took a long time to realize this, she was so focused on remembering every sensation of what she thought to be her last moments ever this close to Haruka. She only noticed her expectations of abrupt resistance going unfulfilled when Haruka gently disengaged with a turn of her head. Haruka's eyes were closed, and her face expressionless; the only clue Yukino had to her feelings was a slight, painful discomfort as Haruka tightened her grip, but Yukino could not have said whether it was an intentional act or not.

Haruka was not harboring any far-fetched illusions of Yukino pulling some outlandish prank, or trying to make some extravagant point of discussion through her actions. The truth of that kiss, of the sound of Yukino's heavy breath, they left no room for the flights of fancy a pressured mind might otherwise concoct. It was no blankness of thought, though, so much as a clamoring, indecipherable conflict in Haruka's mind that kept her from expressing anything. Her usual reaction to sudden pressure: that loud, lashing, irrational anger she was so known for, clashed with the almost innate protectiveness and caring that she felt for her only real friend.

"Yukino." She was finally able to say, firmly, with the barest hint of gruffness on the tail end of the word. She spoke with the same tone of voice as she used when doing her utmost to be formal, forceful, serious and officious. It came naturally to her.

"Haruka-chan!" Yukino started anxiously, "I'm..." _What? What am I, sorry? _Yukino calmed herself, resigned to being responsible for what she had done. "I need to talk to you." Haruka's eyes finally opened now, but Yukino was disconcerted by how she seemed to be avoiding looking at her.

"There's more to say?" Haruka replied, her mouth setting into a thin line as her senses came more fully under her control. She didn't mean her words to sound that harsh, but to Yukino, the thinness to those lips looked far too grim. Haruka released her grip on Yukino's arms.

"I... I have plenty more I could say, Haruka-chan." Yukino answered cautiously. Gaining momentum, and feeling a strange irritation with Haruka's response so far, she continued, "Are you telling me that you can't think of something yourself?" Yukino finished, the slightly accusatory tone she used fully intentional. She did not know of any struggles Haruka might be having with her own emotions, all Yukino saw was her _always_ temperamental friend hiding behind this unnaturally quiet front. She would have expected many things from Haruka; betrayal or anger, shock and confusion, but this officious calm was an unknown.

"Yukino, what could you possibly think that...." Haruka began to reply in that same tone, but paused, not entirely sure how to continue. Yukino did not notice the pause in the sudden flaring of her own temper and interjection.

"Thinking? What did I think about, Haruka-chan? Do you suppose I just sat down to lunch sometime last week and _thought_, 'Oh, I think it would be nice to fall in love with Haruka-chan, why don't I do that? I'll put it on my schedule this week.'" Haruka blinked as Yukino finished, showing her first real reaction at her soft-spoken partner's outburst, and took a step back. _Did she say l.. lo...._

"No, Yukino, I didn't; I mean, I don't mean..." Haruka finally looked squarely at her now, and her voice had more than a hint of emotion in it now. _That's it, Haruka-chan._ Yukino silently encouraged, even now. Though Haruka's eyes were narrowed in defensive annoyance, Yukino was relieved just to be able to look her in they eye. Now she could see those flashing eyes, could know of the liveliness behind Haruka's odd calm. Yukino took in all of this in the moment it took Haruka to find her words. "Look Yukino, we're partners. We've known each other nearly our entire lives, as long as _I _can remember."

"So? This isn't anything I don't know." Yukino's lip adopted an unfamiliar defiant turn at the corner. If Haruka wasn't going to lead the way, Yukino resolved that _she _would drag her older friend along until she got a true, honest, unbridled reaction to the truth that finally shone openly between them.

"Yukino..." A note of plea edged just perceptively into Haruka's voice. "It's just that, for two--"

"Don't!" Yukino interrupted vehemently. Then, more calmly, "Don't, Haruka-chan, please. I want to talk about you and I, not 'two females.' If you want to go that route, I'm fully prepared to argue. Love doesn't seem to care who I am or who you are. That's something that can be different among people, but it's not different for love, not for what _I _feel. If _you _feel that it's wrong to 'indulge,' if that's what you _really _feel and that's the language you want to use, then by all means continue. But you better know that is your _opinion_, and not any rule I ever read, and you better know that it's you and I that we're speaking of, not 'two females.'" Yukino managed to surprise herself now, she hadn't known that she was carrying such pent-up resentment over those words, or that she would ever hurl it into Haruka's face like that. This was not quite how she had pictured her confession going...

"No!" Haruka yelped reflexively, "I don't—-you're not, I wasn't..." _But I was, wasn't I? Shouldn't I be...? _That was the very statement she was about to go through with. Once again, Yukino gave her no time to dwell on that or to form a response.

"Haruka-chan, go ahead. Say what you want to say." Yukino kept going despite her unease with her own actions, feeling fearlessly belligerent. She had nothing left to lose now, and she felt firsthand all the freedom that entailed. "We never got a chance to talk about this before, did we? Never talked about boys, or who we're going to marry someday, everything little girls talk about. Should we make up for lost time? You already know who I 'like', how about you?"

"Yukino, stop! Would you let me get a word in!?" Haruka burst out.

"I believe I just invited you to! Just a few words, however you want to arrange them; give me some kind of answer!"

"To what question!? You just come over and expect me to what, casually consider the fact that my partner, my _best friend _loves me like..." She did not finish, teeth clenched and unable to speak any more.

"No, Haruka-chan! You don't get it, I don't want you to 'casually consider' anything. As you said, it's just you and me here, right? Don't _investigate _anything, don't worry about what _Director _Suzushiro Haruka would think here! You don't have to worry about what the students would think about you, and not Fujino either! I want to hear what Haruka-chan wants to say," Yukino's voice softened, losing a great deal of its fiery edge. "Just Haruka-chan."

Haruka looked blank, then, "What the hell does that hippie have to do with this?" She spluttered finally, at loss to respond to Yukino's words and latching onto the first familiar subject she could catch on to.

Yukino ground her teeth with frustrations. "Do I have to say it? Isn't that why you're always working so hard, trying to be her equal, trying to get her to recognize you; sound familiar? I believe I mentioned this before. I always admired that drive of yours, even when it shot you ahead of me. But you don't need to think about any standards out _there _right now. Be _here _with me, and live up to what standards you make for yourself. I'll only accept it then, if those standards say that I am... that we, that we can't..." Yukino couldn't even voice that ever more likely possibility.

"Yukino, what the hell are you talking about? You think I'm giving any fool thoughts to that damn woman right now, or anything else? What the hell?" Yukino shook her head incredulously, Haruka was still stuck on that?

"Then what did you start thinking about, Haruka-chan? Propriety? Regulations? I'd never thought of you as cold, but you sure ripped that notion from me right now. As much as you let _out _to so many people without hesitation, you couldn't manage that kind of honesty for me right now? I wonder, where else might you be so reserved, how much you keep in? I know you, Haruka-chan, you're more than a talking list of rules, more than an automated dispenser of righteous justice. You also hold a lot inside, don't you?" Yukino's eyes burned through Haruka, their fire fueled by years of worry and heartsickness and ignited by Haruka's irreverent responses, "I'm starting to see. You've been wrong, but you never admit it; nothing ever said or done that might show some perceived 'weakness' for you. How often do you try to pick and choose what you're feeling, to try and match up to standards that others hold? You must _know _what feels right and what feels wrong in your heart. Why can't you trust that over something you've just seen with your eyes or heard with your ears? You never look before leaping into a flying fist, but always hesitate to jump into caring arms. Why can't you show the same recklessness in both? I'm close enough to have seen so much of you, Haruka-chan, so many things that you don't want anybody else to see, and none of them have made me love you any less. Can't you just answer me now, without looking through the rule book first?"

"I wasn't thinking about anything but you right now! I don't have _anything _to hide, or.. or, you said... and... and _this _is why you've been so out of sorts lately? _This _is why I've spent so much time wondering what I did that you can't trust me? Wondering why the hell you won't let me in? _This _is why I've spent nights laying awake so worried about you?" Haruka jumped erratically to another subject, shying away from thinking about all Yukino had said, shying away from the sharp pains somewhere inside her. _It's not true, I am being honest, I always am... right? _

Yukino felt a sting from what sounded like an accusing trivialization of what she felt, but she shoved it aside. "Yes, _'this' _is why." She answered hotly. "I was scared, Haruka-chan. I love you, and I didn't want to lose what I had of you. But Sh--somebody, helped remind me of what you really meant to me. I won't lie to you any more, no matter what happens to me for it." She stopped, and her features softened to something Haruka found more comfortably familiar to see on Yukino's face, "You... you were that worried?" Yukino had not intended to calm, but the last sentence Haruka had spoken made its way through her jumbled thoughts.

"Yes, Yukino, of course I was! I... I _could_ say that I love you too, but just not..." Thankful that Yukino had not pressed all the points of honesty and emotional restraint that Haruka did not think she could answer, Haruka despaired as she discovered she could hardly find the words for anything at all, yet.

"But not what?" Yukino jumped in again, the temper she never knew she had sparking anew.

"Let me talk, Yukino!" Haruka exclaimed; adding in the ensuing silence, "I never thought I'd _ever _say that, let alone twice in one sitting."

"Now then, I..." Haruka blinked. All that trouble to get herself speaking room, and her mind still refused to tell her what it is she wanted to say. _I... I... _The thought circled endlessly through her mind, finally metamorphosing into a question that only she could answer. _What is it that I am? _

She took the space she had given herself and started to think. What was she, in this respect? Waiting to be a proper bride to a proper groom? That seemed the correct thing. She pictured the scene in her mind. It was all there, everything that she could think she expected of herself. But somehow, viewing the scene, it looked like nothing more than an interesting photograph. Static, still, fabricated from chemicals and filtered light, just an image that could mean nothing true or honest, nothing _real_. Yukino was right, they had never discussed anything like that. This was not anything she had ever considered at all, really, except in mostly vague and irrelevant ways.

"So thoughtful again, Haruka-chan?" Yukino said softly, though a mild rebuke kept a palpable presence in her tone. She felt that was patience enough, "Is there really something so wrong, so 'improper' about trusting your heart to speak the truth right now? Don't worry about me, just be honest like always. I'll make it easy on you." Yukino, on sudden impetus, took a half-step forward and planted another, shorter kiss on Haruka's unresponsive lips before she could react. Haruka looked startled.

"Tell the truth, Haruka-chan."

The seconds ticked by. Haruka at last slipped entirely out of her startled surprise, down into a helpless frustration with herself and Yukino and everything in the world that had turned her down such a fearsomely unfamiliar path. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. As she exhaled, she tried to think of the action smoothing over her inner struggles, a perception that came out physically in calming features. She opened her eyes.

"You were wrong." There was a sharp intake of breath from Yukino.

"That's all I needed, then, was an answer, Haruka-chan." Yukino said in a rush, doing her best not to sound as though she'd just been devastated. Haruka was caught off guard. She heard the sudden irregularity in her friend's breath, and realized that perhaps that she needed to be more specific, and fast.

"No! Well, that is, not 'yes', exactly, but... that's not what I meant!" Yukino looked back at her, perplexed.

"You were definitely wrong about how I was thinking. Whatever else was going on in there, I wasn't trying to be dishonest, and the Bubuzuke Woman was nowhere to be seen." She tapped her forehead, "You were all over the place."

"Haruka-ch--" Yukino began, her threatening tears vanishing, giving way to a streak of irritation now that it seemed that Haruka still did _not get it_. This was not what she wanted to hear about. Haruka interrupted her.

"I'm just doing what you told me. I _feel _like you need to know this, I feel that I need to tell you that you took that notion a little too far. How could you ever think that I might think more of that woman, more of _anything_, than I do of best friend? Maybe some time I even admired that damn woman, but after that huge mess a number of months ago--even our trip this weekend; she's hardly infallible. I'm past that. I don't need to try be her equal, because together you and I are so much more than her anyway. The only standard I've been trying to live up to... is yours." Haruka looked slightly uncomfortable saying all of this, looking sheepish and flushing lightly.

"Haruka-chan..." Yukino was torn between elation at hearing something like this from her beloved, and an impending sense of desolation at what Haruka had _not _said.

"Wait, Yukino. Now I need to ask you something, about what _you _feel. You didn't just sit down last week and feel like this, you said. So, well, when?" Yukino blinked, and rubbed the back of her neck.

"As long as little girls can feel like this; as far back as I can remember," She answered the unexpected as truthfully as she could, she could barely remember a time when she was not aware at all of how she felt, even back when she would not admit it, she could look back and know what the feeling had been.

"Well then, the Yukino I knew all that time is the same one I see right here in front of me, isn't she?" Haruka said decisively. "I never thought badly of her or what she believed before, and I don't see that anything has changed to make me start now. So, if I could do a little seductive reasoning--"

"Deductive, Haruka-chan." Yukino corrected, having to hide a highly inappropriate giggle at this particular failing of vocabulary.

"—Deductive, deductive reasoning." Haruka blushed furiously. _Of all the times! _"If I can't believe _you _were wrong, and obviously somebody had to have been, then it must... have been me." Haruka took a steadying breath. Despite the situation, she still found she hated saying that. "Now then, when somebody is wrong, _especially _when they end up hurting somebody else, there are certain things that have to be considered beyond any mere matters of rules and punishment. So I have to ask now: Can you forgive me, Yukino?"

"Yes, Haruka-chan." Yukino felt the words come easily to her, "You didn't mean to hurt me, it's not something you wanted or could know about. But, then, you and I--" Haruka did not make her finish the question.

"I'm not going to start lying now, Yukino. I don't _have_ an answer right now." Haruka took on a pleading tone, "This is important, right? I've only just nowbeen able to even consider... you and I, like this. Could I have some time to at least get used to the idea?"

Yukino frowned inwardly, something sounding off about the way Haruka said that. Suddenly, it came to her, that Haruka was really _asking_ her, and waiting for an answer, not just expecting it to go her way.

"I... have time, I can be patient," Yukino answered cautiously. "But... I do hope that you can bring the subject up quicker than I managed to." Yukino offered a hesitant smile.

"Well, I won't have to confront anybody like Suzushiro Haruka and her rule book, will I?" Haruka answered in somber parody of her usual manner, a bitterly rueful laugh following. "Thanks, Yukino." She added with genuine gratitude. They stood awkwardly for the span of a minute, then Haruka exhaled heavily. "I think I need to sit down for a minute." She promptly arranged herself down on the mat, Yukino setting down close by.

"Should we get back to this investigation, Haruka-chan?" Yukino hesitantly said after another minute in which Haruka merely sat still, looking to be lost in thought.

"Huh? Oh, right, this place." She looked around, obviously distracted. She shook her head, trying to clear it the best she could. "It looks pretty open and shut to me, Yukino. Defacement, but no sign or report of theft, nor destruction of any notably valuable property. The photographs for the record and any more detailed examination can be readily handled by functionaries. We have more important things to do." _I took care of those boys, at any rate, and I... really don't want to be here right now._

"Shall I organize a small squad and give them an agenda, then, Haruka-chan?" Yukino supplied, settling into comfortable routine, almost amused at the mundane turn of conversation. Yukino did her best to force back a marvelously giddy feeling, afraid she might start crying her happiness to the sky and never stop. She could not say that her dreams had come true, but dreams and reality hardly ever coincided anyway--had she really been yelling so fiercely a moment ago? At _Haruka?_ She decided that what she had just won was more than enough for the moment.

"Sounds good, have them get here at..." Haruka pulled out her phone, "Seventeen-hundred hours. Also, assign as many members to the assignment as you can without them tripping over one another. That should make enough of a scene to keep that Watanabe boy peacefully surly. Erm, it also looks like lunch is over, Yukino...?" Haruka left an unspoken invitation in the air.

"Really? Well... Haruka-chan, you did say that you needed some time, and we really should be attending our classes after what we missed."

"Oh, of course. Ah, I was _not _going to suggest using Executive authority to get us out of class." Haruka returned unconvincingly, not even totally sure why she had even thought of such a thing, other than it felt... strange, to go to class right now. Only, class did not have anything to do with it.

"Oh, Haruka-chan!" Yukino cried, for lack of anything to clearer convey what she felt and what she thought she might be seeing, and threw herself into a cheerful embrace at Haruka. Though surprised, Haruka returned it lightly, with an awkward lack of grace that somehow made Yukino feel all the happier.

"I'll walk you to your class, though." Haruka continued after Yukino had let go, in a tone that brooked no argument. Even temporarily, Haruka did not want to part quite yet, and Yukino had no issue with that. "It's on the way to my class, anyway." Yukino did her best to hide the full extent of her smile, not bothering to correct Haruka on that account. She watched out for Haruka's vocabulary, not her geographical knowledge, and she had the feeling that Haruka would have been more irritated than usual at a correction.

"Thank you, Haruka-chan." She reached over and took Haruka's hand, not caring in her elation that it might be risky to push at Haruka's stunted awareness of her partner's feelings. "We have a little bit of time, too; no need to rush." Yukino kissed Haruka on the cheek, and started walking to the door. She linked their fingers together in clear indication of her unwillingness to relinquish it. Haruka, holding her free hand to her cheek in a mild sense of... something, came to the easy conclusion that while extricating her hand might be difficult and unpleasant, walking with her partner like this was neither of those things. She rushed a few steps to walk alongside Yukino rather than be towed. She didn't quite smile, but she came close.

* * *

"Hey, didn't you lock the door after them?" Chie raised a brow at her partner, but Aoi could only manage a moment of looking abashed before her eyes turned to Yukino and Haruka, and she shrugged.

"Guess I didn't? I thought I did, but isn't that cute! Just look at them." Aoi squealed, but quietly. She and Chie were watching, hidden, from the side of the building as the Executives exited.

Chie frowned. The plan had been to get them locked in together for a while for maximum chance of a, "happening." But, given how they were leaving now, Chie supposed it was probably something good, anyway. "Ah, innocent young love. Knew we just had to get them together for some alone time and we'd get a shot." Chie said airily. "I wonder what other footage we might have inside, but I'm catching this for sure." Chie drew her cell phone from her pocket. She flipped it up, and took careful aim. Just as she was about to capture the moment, however, a hand reached over her shoulder and flipped the phone back down.

"Now now, Harada-san, could we perhaps keep this lovely scene so innocent for a while longer?" Though the cheery voice that sounded from behind her was friendly as could be, it sent shivers down her spine. She hardly needed to turn around to know who it was, but she felt it would be more polite, and that was always a Good Thing to be with this person.

"Oh, of course Miss President. We can certainly do that. Right, Aoi?" Chie looked and saw Aoi nodding very firmly, the hand of one Kuga Natsuki placed lightly on her shoulder.

"See, Natsuki, I knew they would be amenable." Shizuru said conversationally to her companion. She turned back to fix Chie with a gaze. "But you know what, Harada-san? It appears that you _did_ help those two, and you were just _so _nice about my request now, so I think you deserve something for being such model students; it would be a pleasure if you would join Natsuki and I for tea. It's nearly that time, you see, and my family only yesterday sent me a package. A new tea is certainly always so much better to sample in company."

_Nice for who? Chie thought. She allowed one last glance at the retreating couple just passing out of visual range, then stood. I may have lost this small opportunity, but this isn't over yet. She offered a hand to help Aoi rise, and they both made some show of dusting off their skirts while their minds worked furiously. Aoi tried first._

"That's very kind of you, Miss President, but a good deed is its own reward. We don't want to impose upon you, you understand." She took Chie's hand and tugged in the opposite direction of their ambushers, but Natsuki smoothly cut them off.

"We insist." She said flatly, with such a hard look her face that one might believe her otherwise beautiful features sculpted from flesh-toned marble. The pair looked at those unforgiving green eyes, at one another, and then finally back at the President, who didn't look as though she'd moved an inch in response to their attempted escape. Her ruby eyes spoke clearly that they really had no other options to weigh.

"Eh heh, he... so, how about that tea?" Chie said, a note of strain in her voice.

"Ah, I'm so glad you could join use after all. Ah, and before I forget-- don't worry, I will reimburse you for the film I borrowed from that excellent camera I found inside the Kendo facility. I hoped you wouldn't mind my use of it. There were no competitions going on in the near future anyway, and I assumed that's what you had that camera set up for, correct?" Shizuru watched the faces before her fall noticeably.

"Ha... right, we're big fans, Fujino-san." Aoi struggled to sound unconcerned.

"Now then, the tea. I really do think you'll enjoy it. It's this particularly fine cut of the most recent planting at the Tukdah estate, my mother said it was recommended by a business associate with supposedly fine taste. I'm sure it will be nicely soothing for you two, busy as you've been." Shizuru turned and started to walk away, while behind them Natsuki stood firmly in her role as the Rock to Fujino Shizuru's Hard Place. Following, then was their only real option. 'Oh crap, I'm trapped by the serpent,' had suddenly, unexpectedly become the tone of the day.


	10. Chapter 10

The door opened, and the two padded in with quiet footsteps. Even the sound of the door clicking shut sounded behind her sounded startlingly loud to Yukino, filled to her freckled cheeks with a giddy swirl of nervousness and exhilaration. Haruka felt her friend's searching gaze on her back as she walked to the middle of the room. She nervously shifted her eyes around the room in some vain search for guidance, but unfortunately, neither the lamp nor kitchen pantry offered any insightful direction. Haruka needed _some _direction now, for sure. This single moment gave her heart's truth to the day's lie, the day spent doing her best to pretend to the rest of the world that nothing was different between her and her partner. Really, she was not quite sure how she might behave differently, anyhow. Haruka did not think she could ever bring herself to the sort of public displays the Bubuzuke woman indulged in... not that she wanted to engage in any display at all, whether public or otherwise! It's more that... she did not know how to act any _other _way. But still, perhaps it was Yukino's earlier accusations of less-than-forthright behavior with her partner that caused Haruka to harbor such doubts about her actions.

As it happened, she need not have worried. Yukino _might_ have been discouraged by Haruka's completely unremarkable behavior... except that that she herself had done the same, particularly where Shizuru were concerned--and Shizuru had been concerned in a great many places today. Thankfully, there had yet to be any private moments where the crafty president might have been able to speak to her more candidly, but the extra time after school in which Shizuru had found a dazzling multitude of things to discuss had been harrowing enough. _That _had been a terrifying exercise in suspense, constantly suspecting that the next words from the President's mouth would be some crafted, seemingly innocuous excuse to get Haruka out of the room. For reasons known only to Shizuru, however, nothing of the sort had happened.

Haruka had grumbled quite a bit on the way home, wondering why the Bubuzuke Woman just _now_ found it so _very_ necessary to talk over things that Haruka had been harping on her about for months, while Yukino's mind churned with doubts and suspicions over that same thing.

Their short walk down the path to the dormitories was lit by street and star light. Yet another late night, which would make catching up on class work more difficult. Even more difficult than that, however, was either of them trying to think about classwork anyway. Haruka took a deep breath, berating herself her anxiety and tension. She loosened her necktie and sat down on the chair in their room, twisting her head and cracking her neck in a painfully audible way that made Yukino wince. Yukino cautiously sat down at the foot of her own bed, folding her legs under her and leaning back on her arms. She watched Haruka for a long time, the older girl's head resting on the back of the chair with eyes closed, but clearly not sleeping. Of a sudden, Haruka pitched herself forward and lay crossed arms over her knees.

"It's been a long day, Yukino."

"Yes, it has," Yukino replied, head tilted with cautious inquiry. Haruka planted her hands on her knees and levered herself up, taking a few long steps to the bed where Yukino sat. She stood there for a few very long seconds before her legs turned off with all the alacrity of a blown fuse. She bounced on the springy surface, once, and fell back. Her hair flew all about, and a few strands curled around Yukino's fingers and wrist.

"Tell me something, Yukino. Love isn't easy, is it?" Haruka asked next.

"Not all of the time, no," Yukino answered truthfully, twisting her neck slightly to peer curiously into Haruka's face.

"There have been a _lot_ of times that it wasn't easy for you, haven't there?"

"A few," Yukino replied, again truthfully.

"Because of what I said. Because I didn't realize how you felt, even though you were by my side every single day." Her voice was tinged with bitter regret. Haruka had tried--god knows she had!--to get some handle on her feelings today. She _wanted _to be able to give Yukino an answer. Instead, she'd found herself wandering down the roads of her memory, only now seeing such things as she had run blithely past before. _Does it even _matter _what I feel, after all that's happened?_

Yukino was dismayed at the somberness of Haruka's declaration, and immediately asserted: "Because I was a coward, and wouldn't tell you how I felt."

"Because_ I_ scared you. I said stupid, angry things that had nothing to do with you, but you were hurt by it."

"Not on purpo--"

"That doesn't matter!" Yukino stopped in mid-sentence, taken aback at the vehemence that flashed lightning-like in Haruka's eyes. Haruka bit her lip, and her eyes softened to a distant sorrow, like a fading rumble of thunder.

"What in the world did you see that was _able _to be loved when you looked at me, Yukino? How could you keep loving a blind, hateful person after what you went through?"

Yukino smiled a small, sadly amused smile at that question, "I didn't. I don't think I've ever been in love with any blind, hateful people," Yukino drew up her legs and lay back, propping herself up on one elbow. She stroked her fingers softly over Haruka's head and through her hair, "Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?" Yukino could hardly miss the irony in that question, but thankfully, Haruka was capable of doing just that.

"No," Haruka said with an annoyed pout, though her denial lacked a certain ring of sincerity, "I am _not _being dramatic, I'm telling you what I think."

"Haruka-chan," Yukino spoke softly, "Right now, this very second, and for years before, my happiest memories have come from times with you. Please quit talking as though you personally put me through some hellish trial. I love you, Haruka-chan, and anything I went through is just as much the result of my holding in, as anything you--"

"But you held in because of what _I_--"

"You didn't clap your hand over my mouth, did you? You didn't _make_ me do anything. You wouldn't have, either, no matter what, because that's not something you would do. I understand that you're feeling guilty now, and... really, I should apologize, I think I was just a little angry and not thinking right earlier today--" Yukino was cut short, blinking in some measure of surprise as Haruka reached up and placed her fingertips over her lips.

"You stop right there! Don't you _dare_ apologize. There isn't a single damn thing in that conversation that didn't need to be said, and you know it. It all worked out, didn't it?" Haruka removed her hand.

"Not if you're thinking that you're some kind of terrible person," Yukino replied forthrightly, but calmly enough that Haruka would not try to quiet her again. She did not know that she could handle any bit of Haruka so close to her mouth again without doing somewhat she might regret. "I tell you I love you, and it makes you feel this badly? I don't call that 'working out,' Haruka-chan."

Haruka was surprised to see a glimmer of wetness lining the bottom of Yukino's eyes. She enveloped her partner's hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"But, Yukino, you really--"

"I really made a mistake, and you really made a mistake, and I really did love you, and I really do love you, and I really want to continue loving you. That's all that needs to be said." Yukino spoke with a firmness that she found in the same little chamber of her soul that she had only just begun to plumb.

Haruka struggled with herself, finding it suddenly hard to maintain any sense of self-loathing in the face of somebody who found absolutely nothing loathsome about her. _I'm... hurting Yukino's feelings by feeling terrible about hurting Yukino's feelings? _Haruka's mind shied away from contemplating _that_ too much. Better to just stop it now.

"Fine, but I made a bigger mistake. You have to acknowledge that," Haruka answered with a touch of petulance. She still did not like being wrong, even about being wrong about how she was not quite as wrong as she had thought.

"Whatever you say, Haruka-chan," Yukino conceded to Haruka's ego, seeing that she had been able to resolve at least some of Haruka's doubts. She traced a line down Haruka's temple and cheek with her fingers, curling her fingers under her chin briefly. She let go, self-conscious, before Haruka got uncomfortable.

Haruka felt a nervous flutter in her chest at Yukino's touch, but self-consciously tried not to look startled, so Yukino would not feel uncomfortable.

Stretching out her legs and arching her back and neck in an attempt to disguise the awkwardness of the moment, Haruka offered a half-hearted attempt at levity: "Hmm. Yukino, either your bed is more comfy than mine, or I'm just getting tired. I think I need to get up before I fall asleep over here." Haruka started to lever herself up on one arm, but Yukino put a hand on her chest and gently, though firmly, pushed her back down into a laying position, awed at her own boldness.

"That's fine with me, Haruka-chan," Yukino said. Haruka's eyes widened.

"Ah..." Haruka wondered what exactly she was to do now, "But, um..."

"Yes?" Yukino asked innocently. Haruka closed her eyes and she shook as she tried to contain an unreasonable urge to burst out laughing at herself.

Smiling in resignation, she reached up with her free hand and gently tugged Yukino's tie loose. "Fine, I won't be arguing with you any more today." Yukino swallowed, firmly reminding herself that Haruka was just being a _friend_, and being close, like _friends, _friendsand that this was _not _an invitation to anything else. She needed calm down. She calmed down. Then Haruka smoothly slipped the tie from her neck , the material whispering a sensuous tale across the nape of her neck. Yukino swallowed, and calmed herself again.

"So... right, we must have gotten accustomed to company over our last assignment, and cannot rest as well in separate beds unless we take the time to readjust. We have a lot of work right now, and no time to do that adjusting, so in the interest of our stamina, we sleep together," Haruka felt an absurd need to rationalize her actions vocally, though for whose benefit she could not be sure. "Er, in the same bed, that is. Innocently. Temporarily, until we can---" Haruka suddenly felt a spike of worry, would Yukino think she was being cold, or take this as a sure rejection? Not that Haruka was accepting, either but... "Ah, perhaps temporarily, not that it couldn't be later, and the innocent part--that is, if I should--because it's entirely possible that I will, but not yet, and maybe not but I wouldn't want to say that..." Blinking, she allowed her mangled, tortured sentence a merciful demise and sighed. Yukino was probably laughing too hard to be listening anymore, anyway.

Straightening glasses on her nose, Yukino turned and leaned over to Haruka.

"Haruka-chan, you can be so cute," she remarked and, before she lost her giddy euphoria, kissed Haruka's cheek, which immediately glowed scarlet.

"C-cute?" Her partner stammered.

"Of course."

Haruka considered this. _Of course? Cute? _Cute. Yukino thought she could be cute. She shook her head. Nobody had ever called her cute before. _Er, except for when I was really little, but that was just my family. _To have Yukino say it felt... nice, if a little strange. Trying to hide her discomfiture, she stood up and went back to the closet to fetch her pajamas. She hung up her tie and put her skirt and blouse in the laundry, and walked over to the little dresser. She reached her hands behind her back to unhook her bra, but suddenly felt a prickle on the back of her neck, as though eyes were... she turned back to Yukino, and found the younger girl following her movements with rapt attention.

"This is going to take some getting used to. Sorry, Haruka-chan," Yukino remarked, blushing and averting her eyes. Haruka privately agreed, and quickly slipped into her pajamas. She studiously examined the wall while Yukino changed after her, only turning back at the younger girl's vocal signal. Yukino had watched her all the while, but could not decide how to feel about Haruka not peeking, even just a little bit. _That's just how Haruka-chan is, though_.

Haruka folded the bed sheets back and gestured Yukino to make herself comfortable first. While Yukino slid in, Haruka flipped off the light switch and slipped into the bed herself, fighting off a shiver. This was nothing different from, say, their hotel room last week... but for the things she knew now that she did not know then. She almost flinched away when she felt the bed move and heard Yukino shift, and fought down a yelp when slim fingers lightly grazed her bare shoulder, though she could not suppress a shiver.

"Good night, Haruka-chan," was all that Yukino said, and then she rolled away from her. Haruka blinked, and noticed her breath had quickened. She lay there for several minutes after, mystified by the feathery, ghost-like impressions of those fingers on her skin, and a little scared of the titillating sensation fluttering through her stomach. She felt, like a physical presence, every scant inch of space between her and Yukino on the bed, and she smiled ruefully. There really was nothing different, knowledge aside; this one little courtesy of Yukino's was proof enough of that. This was still the same honest, good-hearted girl Haruka had known and called her friend this entire time, the same person that she had valued more than life itself. Impulsively, though not without doubt, Haruka rolled over and lightly lay her arm over Yukino, holding the girl close, removing that uncomfortable block of space between them.

"Good night, Yukino," she said softly. She did not respond, and Haruka assumed her partner asleep. While waiting for sleep to take her as well, Haruka suddenly thought that life had begun to move far, far too fast for her. _And by my standards, that's really saying something_.

Maybe tomorrow life would make more sense again.

* * *

Life did not, in fact, seem to make much more sense the next morning. She woke up the same as ever, except being a little more careful not to disturb Yukino while getting up. She took her morning shower, got out to find Yukino awake, and had her morning coffee. Yukino told her what topics they might want to bring up for the morning conference while she brushed her teeth, and read out some of the more important tidbits of the what the investigation team had turned up at the dojo yesterday. A regular morning for a regular friendship, but Haruka felt that something was different. Besides from the obvious, that is. Was it her imagination, or was Yukino smiling a little more this morning, and was it a little warmer? Was she standing a little straighter, moving more assuredly than Haruka remembered? Were these things all in her mind, or was this how Yukino should have looked every day, but had not?

That was another disquieting thought, but Haruka barred it from her mind. Instead of worrying about what had happened, she should be grateful for what was happening, as Yukino had said. Yukino was happy now, so whatever did Haruka have to complain of? She listened to her partner's softly musical voice, now methodically listing the supplies the contracting company was requested for the start of the project--Haruka made them submit figures on everything by the middle of the month so she knew exactly where the academy's money was going--and she found that she wasn't really listening to the figures as much as she was just listening to Yukino. _Taking time to smell the... what was it, hoses? Why would anybody want to smell a hose? Whatever. _She stood behind Yukino, and watched her working at her computer. Admittedly, there wasn't much to see, just her pinkie finger clicking the down arrow key now and again to view more of the list. Even so, Haruka found herself staring at that movement from that delicate little digit for a strangely long while.

"Yukino, if there isn't anything needing immediate attention in there, you don't have to read it all out like that."

"I'm just following the routine we had, Haruka-chan; I thought you wanted to be kept up to date. I don't mind," she added with another one of those seemingly-warmer smiles.

_I'm not sure I mind either, _Haruka thought privately. Yukino had the most charming voice. She fondly remembered a few occasions when they were both children, and Yukino had read aloud to her. She normally had little patience for frivolous fiction and the like, but Yukino's voice, even back then, had a captivating musical flow that kept her rooted from beginning to finish. _What a strange thing to remember this morning_. Even so, she could not accept that as enough reason to make Yukino go through what must be a dull process.

"Good effort, Yukino, but I think I'll be satisfied with your ability to keep everything straight," she squeezed her partner's shoulder appreciatively, then extended her hand to help her up. Yukino nodded her happy acquiescence and closed her computer, getting hoisted to her feet. As soon as Yukino straightened up, though, she saw a frown on Haruka's face.

"Hold on a moment," Haruka said, something Yukino had read off finally filtering through and ringing an alarm, "Did you say that they had requested some kind of fruit for the west wing of the scientific building? What do the builders need fruit for?"

Yukino looked at her, nonplussed, "Fruit, Haruka-chan?"

"I swear, you mentioned a fruit in that list, didn't you?" Haruka cursed her lagging attention, but she was _sure _she'd heard something about a fruit.

"I don't believe so...?" Yukino shrugged helplessly.

"Eh, never mind then."

She walked out the door, Yukino following. They made it to the council room, and the first thing Yukino saw when she entered was Natsuki's eyebrow shoot up questioningly in her direction. Yukino carefully avoided meeting her eye, and found Shizuru's instead. That was not much better. The President's gaze did not seem to offer any outward sign of question, but the way those eyes fixed on Yukino just a hair longer and more pervasively than usual was question enough. Those two meant well, but it made her uncomfortable, so Yukino just sat down at her desk and opened the laptop to take the minutes. It was an easy enough task by this point that she often entertained herself by carrying on some other endeavor while she was at it. Her fingers lightly tapped over the keys, and she kept one ear open to the discussion for anything she should pay special attention too.

Of that, there was not much: polite inquiries and updates on a few upcoming functions, the reconstruction, the dojo case, the upcoming graduation and the celebration thereof, and other such matters. Haruka was in peculiar form today, managing to find less fault with... well, most everything presented, speeding things up considerably and giving Yukino less to record. Yukino was able to focus mostly on adding up funds and figures, having gone back to the contracting company's submission. _Sub-contractor wages, equipment rental, steel pipe, glass panes, mortar, brick, studs, ducts..._

Without warning, she came across what she thought Haruka must have been talking about back at their apartment and laughed shortly. She did not think she was loud, but she heard the background buzz of conversation cease, and raised her eyes to meet those of everybody else in the room. She focused on Haruka's, trying still to avoid giving any clues to the other two; they could know what was going on when she was ready to tell them.

"Sorry, but I think I found the point of, ahem, concern you were referring to earlier, Haruka-chan. The builders were just notifying you that they wanted to rent a pair of 'cherry pickers.'" Haruka looked at her blankly, then her brows knitted in a frown. "Ah, that is, not any actual fruit--" Yukino tried to continue, but she was interrupted.

"But that's still no good!" Haruka exclaimed, Yukino looked at her oddly, wondering what could be the matter. "Why do they need to go out picking cherries? We're paying them to build a school, not a.. a... fruit salad!"

"N-no, no, Har--" Yukino tried to rectify the misunderstanding, but she was too slow.

"Fujino-san! I'm sorry, but I'll be taking an early exit this morning to go find the foreman and ask him about this matter." She frowned severely and turned to the door. "Try to slip one past Suzushiro Haruka, eh?!" She finished, mostly to herself. She took matters of finance quite seriously.

"Ah, of course, Suzushiro-san," Shizuru answered, suppressed mirth dancing behind otherwise serious lips. Natsuki rolled her eyes, and Yukino hung her head in embarrassment for the both of them, scrambling to close her notebook computer and follow as Haruka buzzed out of the room.

"Haruka-chan, wait!" She called, but to no avail. Yukino also pretended not to hear Shizuru politely calling for her as she hurried into the hallway. She despaired of ever catching up, seeing no trace of her friend as her eyes roamed over the hall. _Okay, I would go _left_ if I wanted to get to where the foreman put up the office, so... _feeling a little guilty for her logic, Yukino turned right and hurried in that direction, only to be bowled over at the end by Haruka speedily rounding the corner, footsteps and mutters of, "no, this way..." not quite reaching her ears soon enough to offer warning. Haruka had just enough time to look chagrined before she lost her balance as well. Her momentum carried her several hopping steps past Yukino before she tumbled forward. Yukino propped herself up with one arm, wincing at a dull throb in her tailbone and hoping her laptop was okay for the light jarring it had taken. Haruka rose to a kneeling position and directed a concerned glance back to make sure Yukino was all right. Satisfied that she was, at least in that she was not sprawled out unconscious on the floor, Haruka faced forward once more.

"Sorry, Yukino! But good to see you, come on, we need to go take care of this nonsense now."

Haruka tried to raise herself back up, but only started to stand before a pair of slender arms wrapped around her waist and held her back. Haruka turned to look incredulously at her partner. Yukino had thrown herself at Haruka's legs in a desperate attempt to hold her there.

"Yukino!" She said in a voice higher than normal, casting worried eyes back and forth across the hall "This isn't the time or the place to get into something like this," she whispered worriedly.

Yukino colored slightly, but held on without correcting her. When Haruka tried to heave herself up again, Yukino pulled back as hard as she could, planting her bottom on the ground, painfully, for the second time. Haruka, having no way to counter-balance, followed suit, falling back and plopping on the ground between Yukino's thighs.

"Haruka-chan, stop for a moment!" Yukino pleaded. She did not want to watch Haruka barrel forward into another embarrassing situation, and thought to head this one off... by tackling her in the middle of the school and hugging her from behind as they sat in skirts on the cold linoleum. _Because this is less embarrassing by far, correct?_ Yukino thought that this plan could perhaps have used more work, but it was too late for that now. This was still better than having stayed alone in the room with Shizuru. She just hoped their skirts were concealing enough from whoever might, and probably would, be coming out to see the fuss.

"Ahem, Yukino," Haruka began after they had settled, "I understand that there are certain things that are understood differently between us now, but--"

"You don't need to go talk to the foreman, a cherry picker has nothing to do with fruit!" Yukino decided to just blurt this out rather than try to reason with Haruka. She held tightly until she saw that the words had found their way through the maze of speeches Haruka was undoubtedly forming. Then, she continued to hold tightly anyway. It felt rather good.

"What, but it's--"

"A piece of equipment used to safely elevate personnel and supplies to wherever they might need to be on a construction site." Yukino explained patiently.

Haruka considered this for a moment, "Oh. I see. And they actually do need these things?"

"For the area and task in question, yes. Safe, and very cost-efficient," Yukino knew that would catch her approval.

Haruka considered this for a moment, "I see," she repeated. "So they haven't done anything--"

"Wrong? No, I'm afraid not."

"Ah. Also, was this really so important to tell me that you had to, well, entrap me?" Haruka was more than a little unnerved by the direct means Yukino had implemented.

"Um... no, not really. I mean, you wouldn't stop when I tried to talk to you..." Yukino was glad that Haruka could not see her face too well. She still did not let go.

"I see," Haruka said yet again. The seconds ticked by, and Haruka cast about herself helplessly, trying to think of a polite, tactful way to extricate herself from a person that had knocked her over and pinned her to the floor. _Something seems off about that..._ Haruka looked up; she looked forward and then down, where something caught her attention. A thought struck her, something she remembered in a vague sort of way from some other time. She reached out her hand and lightly squeezed Yukino's knee.

"Ah!" Yukino gasped involuntarily and her knee flexed, shifting her skirt. Haruka's eyes widened as she suddenly saw more of Yukino than she really thought she ought to be seeing, but she kept enough presence of mind to also notice that Yukino's grip had relaxed, so she prised her arms apart quickly, and whirled around, still holding Yukino's arms and pulling her up in the same motion. Her eyes widened again, even larger, and they shot up towards the ceiling to count tiles. Yukino's skirt was in some amount of disarray.

"Ah, Yukino, I... .uh, you have really pretty legs! Do you use lotion? I thought they looked soft and I just had to, um, feel?" Haruka grit her teeth. _I sound like an idiot! Commenting on personal grooming? Get it together, Suzushiro!_

Yukino arranged herself and picked up her laptop, flushing lightly. However, she had made a promise to herself. _Whenever Haruka-chan looks like she's being dishonest, I have to be more honest for the both of us. _She looked both ways down the hall and, satisfied that there was not anybody to see, wrapped her arms around Haruka again and embraced her closely. Haruka "yeeped" and looked hurriedly back down from the ceiling. Yukino smiled coquettishly, and hooked her leg around Haruka's knee, rubbing their calves together in a manner that could perhaps be described as indecent; Yukino certainly found it immensely satisfying.

"You too," She returned, stepping around Haruka and brushing their hips closely together on her way past. _One flirt deserves another, Haruka-chan._ Yukino thought with a smile that brought a kittenish brightness to her eyes. She was almost absolutely certain that the little knee-squeeze and compliment had been Haruka's attempt--a roundabout, impetuous, and perhaps subconscious attempt, but one nonetheless--at displaying a more... physical degree of affection than before. If it was not Haruka's subconscious at work... well, Yukino felt she could hardly be blamed for thinking it was. Haruka caught up with her in a few fast steps.

"You sure seem chipper today, Yukino," Haruka remarked in a neutral tone of voice, after they had walked abreast for a few steps.

"Any reason I shouldn't be, Haruka-chan? I am in love," she looked sidelong to see Haruka's reaction.

"Ah..." Haruka did not have much more than that syllable to offer.

Yukino stopped after a few steps, as Haruka had stopped stock-still. Tilting her head curiously, Yukino decided that she did not look particularly uncomfortable or scandalized, so...

"You should try it sometime, Haruka-chan," Yukino said pointedly, and this time Haruka's single syllable was somewhere between a cough and another "yeep." Yukino smiled and stifled a giggle, and started walking again, her step slightly quicker with a happy energy. Haruka reached out and gathered her wits, walking after her partner, but she lagged behind purposefully, just watching Yukino pull ahead. In spite of herself, her lips stretched out into a smile. _I think I might already be, Yukino. _She stopped again, but was a little quicker in gathering her wits this time--she was getting a lot of practice--and catching up with her partner. Haruka did not know what it felt like to fall in love, but whatever she felt right now was quite pleasant, and there was only one reason that she could think of for it. _Well, it doesn't not feel un-wrong. Or something. _Haruka shook her head, telling herself to stop thinking so much, at least for right now.

"Yukino!" Haruka barked suddenly, louder than she had intended.

"Yes?" Yukino looked at her, though, unconcerned. Haruka figured that she probably did her fair share of barking most of the time, nothing unusual there. With a greater degree of unfamiliarity, she softened her voice and did her best to take her customary edge of command from it.

"You want to go for a walk? We still have bit of time before class, and I don't think there was anything left to say back to the President."

* * *

Haruka lounged against the wall, sweeping her eyes automatically out the classroom windows at the students milling around outside, enjoying their release from the daily tedium of classes. Yukino had just gotten in the last extended report from their investigation team, and she was compiling the individual dispatches to try and narrow their list of suspects down. It was a time-consuming process, as there really were not _that _many people that could be discounted, and also a one-person job that Yukino had the most experience with, so all Haruka could do was try to entertain herself with pacing and observing the students, listening to the clock tick the seconds by. That was what she _tried _to entertain herself with, but without any trying at all she kept finding her attention drawn back into the classroom and to her partner typing away with such an attentive, serious expression on her face. _She's still the same Yukino she's always been._ Haruka thought with somewhat akin to surprise, though even she recognized it was ridiculous to think so. This was a thought that kept coming back to her. Yukino was still the same intelligent, diligent, disciplined, uncomplaining companion that had been by her side for years. Aside from a few playful outbursts that had surprised her recently, Haruka recognized that Yukino was... the same. She was still the person Haruka respected and cared for the most, the partner that loved her enough to stay with her through thick and thin, through all her hardheadedness and all the unintentional heartache.

For all that she realized Yukino had done for her, she might have tried to argue with herself that she was merely "entertaining" the idea of being with another girl out of fairness, or consideration for her friend's feelings. Guiltily, she knew that was what she had originally assumed. Haruka thought she was just going to respect the idea of a relationship like that, and try to view it objectively for the sake of respecting Yukino's feelings. But there was nothing really all that objective or intentional about how she kept looking at her friend in new ways: noticing her pretty eyes, and graceful hands, and dimpled knees, and cute, tousled hair, and that adorable little sprinkling of freckles across her nose, and those silky, cream-colored thighs, and--no, she was noticing all of those things quite suddenly, before she even noticed herself noticing.

That was also when she thought that her thoughts were going a little far, a little fast. Haruka shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. Should she really be _able_ to feel like this already, so soon? She had told Yukino that she needed time to think, that she was only just now able to consider the possibility of Yukino as something more than what they had been. But she noticed that her thoughts very rarely, if ever, lingered on that consideration It did not feel like she were _trying_ to consider Yukino as more than a friend; the idea had made itself right at home with the ease of a familiar guest. But that couldn't be right! This was not familiar, this was alien and new, strange and unexpected! Wasn't it?

It did not feel that way. Her thoughts kept lingering on Yukino in the most confounding ways; indecent ways, even, and it happened so easily. What was more, those thoughts also did not quite feel wrong, or improper, or indulgent, or any of those other things she had been so very vocal in asserting... well, perhaps improper, but that had nothing to do with Yukino being a girl. So besides that--she knew why _those _kinds of thoughts would bother her sensibilities--what felt so wrong? She felt like Yukino's confession had opened up something inside her, something that she had fearfully locked away a long time ago, and now she had to face it. The problem was, she did not know what, "it,"was! She gritted her teeth. It was all so confusing, and she did not know what it was that was confusing! Yukino loved her, and Haruka felt like she could love her back, in the way that Yukino wanted. In the way that Haruka had begun felt that she, herself wanted, as well.

That was effortless, the decision made almost before she asked herself the question. _What, love Yukino as a lover? Oh, of course. _Haruka thought with disbelief over how easy that was. She was turning her back on a belief she had held for years, shifting her perception on the most important person and relationship in her life, and considering love for the first time; this supposed to be _difficult, _was in not? But the only difficult part was trying to figure out why she was accepting it all so easily. Haruka growled at herself. She could not change a single thing that had happened, could not change a single thing she had done; why could she not just accept that she could love Yukino, and take that girl in her arms and hold her close? She felt a rush of embarrassment at the candid thought, but shrugged it off. It was the truth; the painful, but simple, truth. She could not stand the idea that it was this simple. If everything was this easy, that would mean that she had been hiding from herself on a scale that she shuddered to think of. That would mean that Yukino had gone through so much worry and pain for nothing. It would mean that Haruka had been ready to love her and had instead wasted all this time. She hated thinking like this: her thoughts swimming around in a vast whirlpool, all chaos and energy circling in on itself and going nowhere, dragging her down. Thoughts like this did not accomplish anything.

Her eyes swept across the students outside, the crowd thinner now as friends headed off into the city to unwind or parted ways for home. The faint ticking of the clock and intermittent clicking of keys were all that came to her ears. With a grimace, she pushed herself off from the wall and started pacing around the room, hoping that a circuitous path for her body would distract from the one in her mind. Of course, she soon rounded the desk that Yukino was sitting and working at, and as she approached she slowed. Yukino's face was now fit with a little satisfied smile, telling Haruka that she was nearly done with her project. Haruka stepped slowly to the desk and put a hand on it, pivoting slowly around her partner. Suddenly, all she wanted was to be closer to Yukino. That made things better. Haruka reached her arms around Yukino and rested her chin on her shoulder.

"So what did they have to tell us, Yukino?"

Yukino leaned her head over and nuzzled Haruka's cheek lightly, somewhat told her it was okay, right now. It felt so good just to be able to touch Haruka without that rush of guilt mixed in with the pleasure of being close.

"Nothing conclusive, Haruka-chan. They found out the prints were made by the club sandals. You might take that as a sign for an 'inside job,' theory, but it's hardly solid evidence."

Haruka frowned, other thoughts laying down for a blessed rest as she concentrated on the new task at hand. There still was not nearly enough evidence to pin down the culprit yet, and it had been several days. Haruka did not like to consider failure.

"Anything else interesting in all of those reports?"

"Nothing affirmative, just a good deal of negations. There is conclusively no sign of forced entry, no stolen property, no missing keys, no other witnesses discovered, no better time frame, etcetera. Sorry it's turning out like this," Yukino consoled, she did not like to consider failure either, but that was mostly because she knew how much Haruka was bothered by it. She kissed Haruka's cheek lightly.

Haruka swore--at the lack of solid evidence--forgetting to be embarrassed about her kissed cheek. She recovered quickly, though, "But we can at least release this information to the captain. Those malefactors I spoke to before probably aren't smart enough to remember a thing I said to them. Maybe it'll cool their jets to know that the evidence points, however uncertainly, to one of their own teammates. Keep them out of trouble. Then it's up to Takeda to keep a leash on them, and he'd better manage it," Haruka concluded in a threatening tone, and Yukino prepared a dispatch to Captain Takeda to be delivered during their morning practice tomorrow. Haruka sauntered back over to the large desk in the front of the room and sat down, leaning back and staring at the ceiling with her arms linked behind her head. In a moment of mirthless humour, she was suddenly very grateful that Fujino had not, in fact, had that much trouble keeping up with the school in her absence. An unsolved crime spree and a mountain of work to come back to would have been a little much to deal with at the moment.

Yukino sent the mail, and looked over her glasses at Haruka looking so unusually unsure of herself, and so tense, as she stared upward. Yukino moved behind her. She noticed violet eyes following her curiously, but did not stop. Hoping that she wasn't terrible at this, she placed her hands on Haruka's shoulders and tentatively tried a gentle kneading motion, marveling that even she, certifiably inexperienced at this sort of thing, though that Haruka's neck felt very knotted and tense. She felt them tense further in a moment of surprise and was about to let go, but relaxed as Haruka released a long sigh.

"Ah, that's nice, Yukino."

"I'm glad, Haruka-chan," Yukino answered sincerely, and she was gratified to feel Haruka loosening up a great deal under her hands. Haruka stretched her head from side to side, stretching taut muscles and allowing Yukino easier access to them. _Ah, _Haruka thought, _this is heaven. _Who knew a neck rub could feel this good? Assuming it was only the neck rub. Haruka's lip twisted in a determinedly unsteady frown.

"Yukino?"

"Yes, Haruka-chan?"

"I still don't know." Haruka had to force the words from her mouth.

"Don't know what?" Yukino asked before she thought about it. Haruka winced slightly, having wanted to avoid being terribly specific, but a giddy feeling bubbled through her stomach without warning, and she was gripped with the realization about how ridiculous she was being, with her closest friend, whom she was supposed to be able to talk about anything with.

"A lot of things," Haruka laughed, "I don't know a lot of thing, Yukino. But I _do_ know that I'm not going to figure them out by thinking around in circles all day." Haruka reached up and caught Yukino's right hand in a gentle grasp, and brought it to her lips, "If you really do want to give me a chance, I think that I probably could... love you, Yukino. Even more than I always have."

Yukino lifted a finger and caressed Haruka's cheek. Haruka hesitated a moment, then took a deep, resolved breath. She rose to her feet without warning, and whirled around to face Yukino and stepped to take her into a close embrace. Yukino found herself mostly immobile, face and body pressed tightly against the older girl as she was hugged round her upper arms, but did her best to hug Haruka back with the little arm mobility she had left.

Haruka almost did not want to change a thing, and just stay there with Yukino's body molded against hers and her cheek nuzzled atop Yukino's head, breathing in her fragrance and feeling the happiest she ever had, heart racing so fast and beating so hard, feeling crazier than in her most manic periods, more triumphant than when she had catching any vandal or delinquent. She could not hear anything over their mingled heartbeats, so loud they must be echoing from the walls, drowning out all else. There was a tingling running through her, that seemed to move her muscles without her volition, making her fingers tighten over Yukino's skin, and making her lean back and look at Yukino's face. She swallowed, nervousness washing cold over her suddenly. Haruka leaned in slightly, blinking, unsure of how to express that she, she really...

_Does she, could she really want me to, to...? _Yukino hurried to move her face forward before this dream ended, and their lips touched--

_Knock-knock-knock!_

They flew from one another, both blushing furiously, hearts hammering in tandem.

"Wh-what!?" Haruka stammered loudly and angrily, her alarm melting to ire and funneling towards the as-yet-faceless young girl outside the room.

"Oh, uh, Director?" An uncertain voice sounded muffled through the closed door.

"Yes, it's me, get in here if you have something to say!"

A sharp-looking young girl with thick-framed, angled glasses and a short tumble of platinum-blond hair cracked open the door and poke her head inside, the rest of her following after, looking distinctly reluctant to be here after hearing Haruka's tone of voice. But she took a deep breath and stood straight as a rod to deliver in a clipped fashion:

"There's been a breakthrough in the vandalism investigation, ma'am. An anonymous source deposited a notebook at investigation headquarters at an unspecified time between twelve-hundred and fifteen-hundred hours. Finding this suspicious, the team undertook a cursory investigation of the notebook, and found several..." She looked as though she were struggling to come up with the right word, "I..l suppose you could call them drawings, yes. Several drawings that included a signature adorning the corners. This signature matches with what we had previously thought was a piece of illegible graffiti at the crime scene."

Haruka nodded, but did not trust herself to speak. She knew that this was readily important enough, and welcome enough, to have warranted this member's immediate dispatch. She could feel, somewhere in the back of her mind, the familiar rush of triumph and excitement at the news that they might have some concrete evidence. _But... but... kiss... _That familiar rush just was not quite as fulfilling as it would have been about five minutes ago.

"Excellent work, Takahashi-san." Haruka looked to see Yukino smiling and praising the girl. She placed a reassuring hand on Haruka's arm, then stepped back towards her desk. Yukino beckoned the new girl with wave of her hand, sitting down at her computer. She raised the lid and went to the appropriate file, and looked up with entreating eyes at the operative. Takahashi threw an apprehensive glance to Haruka, who just nodded (in an authoritative and decisive manner, of course) that the young operative should follow her partner's direction. Takahashi smiled and nodded cheerfully before walking--a_lmost skipping! Are these our operatives now?_ Haruka glowered, but eased as she reassured herself, remembering that Yukino had personally approved all the Team members, so this one must have had something going for her--over to Yukino and bending over curiously to look at the screen.

"Now, I will need you to scan every page of the notebook and send me the image files later, but for now let me record those details. You say the notebook was found when, again?"

Haruka watched as Yukino listened to a repeat of the information and dutifully recorded it in the evidence file, occasionally inserting a polite question for clarification. In a new awareness, Haruka was struck by how much Yukino had grown in the last few years, or even the last few months. This was what she always knew Yukino could be, given half a chance and a little dose of confidence. Yukino had friends now, Minagi and Tokiha and Harada and Senou. She was smiling and talking with that operative, who had only a minute ago looked fearfully apprehensive, and was now happily hanging on Yukino's every word, question, and suggestion. _Full speed ahead, eh, Yukino? _Haruka thought admiringly, _Looks like you caught on. Better than me, maybe. _Haruka wondered if Yukino even realized how she had changed from the quiet, shy little girl who used to go miles out of her way to make herself unobtrusive.

But really now, all of that was besides the point this day. Of course she _cared_ that Yukino was coming into her own as a woman, but far more weighty in Haruka's mind was how full her heart felt when she watched Yukino smiling and working away. Not so different a feeling than she had felt before when she would watch Yukino work, really. Haruka had always been aware of that warm glow that would fill her and give her confidence, the sure knowledge that she could do anything, _anything_, with Yukino there; maybe unobtrusive and quiet, but always there. She had just never known where that river of warmth in her heart came from. _Love, is it? I figured that would happen eventually, but I wasn't in any hurry to go after it. I was just fine with me and Yukino. _Pausing, Haruka did see the irony in that thought, this time, and smiled ruefully. It was certainly hard to deny now. She thought of holding Yukino in her arms, and that fleeting touch of their lips, and she felt... honestly, she felt a little frustrated. One, two, three_--No, two and a half! _She thought defensively_;_ two and a half kisses, then, and she had not actually done anything with any of them! Somewhere in the back of her mind a little voice tried to ask her why, exactly, she cared that much so suddenly, but somewhere else a larger voice kept yelling about kissing Yukino, so the little one was hard to hear.

Soon Yukino was finished and Takahashi was bouncing happily out of the room, waving at Yukino and saluting Haruka as she turned out the door,

"Good day Kikukawa-senpai, Director!"

Haruka let go a breath of relief as she closed the door after the young operative and turned back to Yukino. Yukino looked from her desk at her, a bashful smile decorating her lips. Haruka's fingers twitched, but she steeled herself in place. _Have to at least _say _something._

"Senpai...?" Yukino spoke aloud musingly. Haruka's nervousness deflated like a burst baloon, and she smiled,

"I'm sure they'd all address you like that, if you ever gave them a reason to talk to you." Haruka pointed out.

Yukino rubbed the back of her head, flushing, "You really think so?"

"Mm-hmm." Haruka answered promptly, and arbitrarily decided that was plenty of conversation to get back to where they were, "And say, right before we had to deal with that anno--er, that is, important business, weren't we--"

"Director!" Haruka lurched forward as the classroom door burst open and slammed into her. Only bracing herself on a desk several paces in front of her kept her from tumbling ungracefully to the floor. She gingerly touched the back of her head, where she could already feel a lump forming, and turned furiously to the doorway where Takahashi was standing looking absolutely mortified.

"Di-di-di-director, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"F-fine! Absolutely, one-hundred percent okay! Now, what are you doing back here?" Haruka managed in a strained voice, forcing herself to stand up straight, though all she wanted to do was fall to the ground and roll around while clutching her head in the most undignified manner possible.

"There are two boys fighting down the hall! I tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen to me. Please, come do something!"

Haruka made a quick decision, "You came to the right place, Takahashi-san. Quick, hurry back to the scene, I'll be along in half a second! I better not pass you up!"

"Yes ma'am!" She ran off as fast as her legs could take her. Haruka glanced to the open door, then frowned, growling shortly at the ceiling, She rushed over to Yukino in a few long strides, pulled her out of the desk, and held her at arms length. Looking deeply into her eyes she flashed her a tender smile and said, in a rushed but sincere manner,

"I love you, Yukino." She pulled Yukino in a close embrace and spun her around one wonderfully dizzying time. Yukino felt herself flushing lightly, then more deeply when Haruka lay a chaste kiss on her still-rosy cheek before letting go and hurrying out the door, with one last half-apologetic, half-lovestruck, half-irritated, and half-righteous lopsided smile.

Yukino stood there for a moment, feeling dizzy, and the spinning had only a small part to play in that. She raised a hand to her face and laid her fingertips over the spot Haruka had kissed her. _Haruka-chan kissed me. Kissed. Me. And, and she said, and before that..._ Yukino felt a heady flood of emotion. She smiled. She did not even care about the harried nature of that parting. She _was _in love with somebody like Haruka, after all. Yukino was pretty sure that if she was with somebody like Haruka, it would not be the last time she would have to leave with nothing more than a speedy kiss, embrace, and a parting, "I love you," before she had to go. _But of course, _Yukino thought as she finished putting up her computer and gathering hers and Haruka's things, _while_ _I might always be able to follow her, I'm still supposed to right now._

Yukino hurried happily into the hall to follow Haruka, and was befuddled for a moment as to which way to go when she got to the first intersection. But seconds later, screams of outrage flew gracefully through the air on angel wings to guide her way.

* * *

Yukino swished water in her mouth and spat it in the sink, rinsing it down for a few seconds more before shutting off the water. She walked out of the bathroom, clad in her pajamas. Haruka lay on the blankets of the smartly made bed, hands behind her head and eyes closed, but Yukino could tell she was not asleep yet. She stepped softly over and, after fighting off an absurd urge to leap over and surprise her friend with a flying Yukino tackle, sat down on the edge of the mattress. She took off her glasses and set them on the bedside table, and stretched out next to Haruka. She moved over and appropriated one of Haruka's arms for use as an extra pillow. She felt Haruka's head turn, and could imagine her eyes opening in that look of mingled surprise, amusement and embarrassment the older girl had often worn. She heard unsuccessfully suppressed laughter, and saw Haruka's middle shaking slightly with it.

"Hey, Yukino, isn't this something? Now that we might find such a thing more, um, appealing, we're back from that honeymoon suite." Yukino felt herself coloring, but when she opened her mouth to speak Haruka was already continuing. "What are the odds? Our Bubuzuke travel agent wasn't all the way wrong, just a few days early." Yukino raised herself up on one arm and away from Haruka a little ways, sitting up in the bed.

"Oh, yes, coincidence, Bubu--er, Shizuru wrong, ah-ha-ha..." Yukino's felt as though her mind had disconnected from her mouth without adequate forewarning, letting the latter chatter onward without much in the way of guidance. Haruka could see that something had made Yukino uncomfortable, and tried to recant a bit of what she had said,

"I'm sorry, Yukino, did that situation give you a hard time? You seemed like you were enjoying yourself, so I hadn't thought that--"

"No no, it's not that, Haruka-chan. This is something else entirely, that's also about last weekend. I'm not sure exactly how to say it, though." Yukino spoke quickly, before she could stop herself, that way she could not_ not _say it now. This little detail had lain dormant, not forgotten but not forefront, in her mind. Haruka's bringing it up in such a blunt, unexpected manner, however reminded Yukino that Haruka deserved a little more of the truth of that weekend. _Fair and square, honest, and everything else, _Yukino thought with a touch of resentment. Being honest had been easy enough when it had come to flirting and such. Yukino sighed, knowing better than many that the rule honesty would rarely be such a joy to follow. She would just have to somehow let Haruka know that Shizuru was not to blame for any of it. That might not have been entirely true, but Yukino knew was the right thing to do, which won out in the honesty-versus-rightness argument. While she was prepared to disclose what the President might have preferred remain secret, Yukino was _not_ going to get Shizuru in trouble with Haruka over it.

"You see, I've, um... I've been hiding something else," Yukino finally blurted as Haruka began to look impatient; Yukino had been chasing thoughts for a while now.

"Something _else_? Er, is this one my fault too?" Haruka asked, uncertainty written on her face as she sat up in the bed to face Yukino.

"Ah, eh? No! Not at all, Haruka-chan." Yukino could not help it, she laughed. Smiling warmly, she found the courage to continue steadily. "To the point: the assignment last weekend. You see, the thing is..."

One story later, Haruka was dumbstruck. She had not uttered so much as a peep during Yukino's disclosure, though Yukino had seen various emotions flashing through Haruka's expressive eyes as she related her initial conversation with Shizuru and the subsequent plotting, and other various details of the weekend the older girl hadn't been aware of. However, Yukino had no idea where Haruka's mood might progress to--or whom it might progress against--from here.

"Why that manipulative little, tea-drinking.... hussy!" Haruka barked, shaking her head. Yukino smiled tentatively, trying to think of ways she might defuse Haruka's irritation.

"Yukino," Haruka fixed her with an intense gaze, "do you know what this means?"

"What, Haruka-chan?" Yukino asked, throat tight, horrible expectations swimming through her mind like so many voracious sharks.

"The Bubuzuke Woman actually tried to do something right!" Haruka declared, "She's _not _just a lazy, shirking, self-serving shrew! She _was_ still a sneaky little..." Haruka's vocabulary failed, and Shizuru's subsequent descriptor was conveyed as a low, growling noise in Haruka's throat. "But the point is, she tried to do something good. For you. She even managed it, after a fashion."

Yukino blinked, Haruka still sounded faintly furious, as expected, but her words were nothing Yukino had expected.

"Dear lord, what does this say about me? I can't believe it took _her _to tell you what _I _was thinking and feeling, and what _I _would have wanted you to do. Is she actually getting a sense of propriety? Must have rubbed off from me, of course..." She noticed Yukino dissolving into helpless laughter and stopped. Haruka looked abashed for a moment, then she laughed too.

"Why are we laughing, Yukino?" She asked after a moment.

"I'm not sure. You weren't joking, were you?"

"Ah, no, that wasn't really a joke. Nobody laughs at my jokes anyway," she added with a trace of annoyance.

"Then," Yukino thought, "I think I was laughing because I would _never_ have imagined you would react like that to what I told you."

Haruka looked genuinely surprised at that, "Come now, could I really hold too much against Fujino for noticing something that I should have been aware of years before her? She listened to everything you had to say, and comforted you in your time of need..." Haruka bit her lip, Yukino had been very candid about even the smallest details, and it had broken her heart to hear how Yukino had finally broken down. She cleared her throat, though Yukino was awed to see a wet shine lining Haruka's eyes that the older girl was fighting back for all she was worth. "And she even tried to help. She had good intentions in her scheme this time." Haruka paused then, looking skeptically thoughtful. "I think she did, anyway. Whatever. Either way, the results... I like them, and that's what matters." Haruka flushed as she said this, and flopped her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes to hide her embarrassment. Yukino lay back down like they had been before.

_That... that's it, then, isn't it? _Yukino thought confidently, _what am I waiting for? I've told her everything, and she said... today, she said she loved me, and she kissed me even, a little bit. She's done almost everything but outright telling me to, so why don't I...?_ Yukino reached her arm over and laid a hand on Haruka's chest, just over her heart. She inclined her head up to Haruka's, to meet her eyes looking back down at her. Haruka covered Yukino's hand with her own, and almost before she herself knew what she was doing, she was moving, meeting Yukino in a kiss. A long, somewhat clumsy kiss, but neither of them cared. They parted hesitantly, haltingly, breaking and coming back together several times. Yukino trailed a few extra kisses down her cheek and jawline as they separated, unable to help herself wanting just a little bit more.

Haruka found herself breathing deeply, and she thought she could feel Yukino's beating as well; the girl's chest rising and falling against her side. She felt the oddest tickly-tingly feeling all over. _I hope I wasn't too bad at that for my first time really trying, _she thought_, though we didn't go too far. What exactly are you supposed to _do _with you tongue in those other kisses, anyway?_ As she came slowly back down from her place in the clouds where her fuzzy mind could dwell on those things, she noticed a tug on her pajama top, and looked down to see Yukino undoing the buttons, one by one.

"Er, hey, Yukino?" The younger girl paused. "I don't know if I'm ready for..." Yukino smiled up at her, though her hand stopped.

"You can't blame a girl for trying," Yukino shrugged, though she kept her hand resting atop Haruka's chest, fingertips lightly placed on the little bit of skin she had already revealed, the sensation sending doubts through Haruka's mind about what she was or was not ready for, but not quite enough to change her mind on this regard. Still, there was somewhat else... Haruka hesitated for only a moment, but the softness of Yukino's eyes melted any reservation she might have still held. Haruka turned onto her side and reached her arm over, pulling Yukino close to her, her hand still splayed on her chest. They lay together, face to face, and Yukino changed her grip, grasping the front of Haruka's pajamas and pulling herself even closer. Their legs intertwined and there was soon nowhere else for Haruka's arms to be but wrapped around Yukino. As Haruka breathed, she could feel Yukino's breath too, in the rising and falling of the vulnerable body against her, and in the gentle touch of each of Yukino's exhalations on her cheek and throat.

"Yukino," Haruka said softly, "This is kind of awkward." Even while saying that, however, she did not move. Yes, it felt awkward, but it seemed infinitely more undesirable to end it. Haruka felt a flush creep up her neck at thoughts that crept through her head, but no amount of embarrassment could stop her now. She kissed Yukino again. And again, and again. Yukino marveled at the feeling, Haruka's arms tightening and pulling her closer, pressed into a strong yet lush body that was even more sensual than her fantasies could ever have led her to believe, even through the fabric between them. She wondered at the feeling of Haruka's lips, that she had seen set into a line harder than steel and harsher than a desert wind, but felt soft as rose petals and gentle as a warm spring rain. Neither of them knew, or cared, how long they stayed up lost in one another's lips and eyes, and they did not care how long they took to find out just what you _were_ supposed to do with your tongue in those other kinds of kisses. This night was a timeless treasure for them to enjoy, and there would be more than enough nights to discover what other treasures they could give to one another.

And that was what what they both kept trying to remind themselves as they shambled, still more than half-asleep, out of bed the next day with the clock's display reading a glaring ten forty-seven. Yukino had been awoken by a startled oath and sudden motion as Haruka was the first one to crack her eyes open and take a look at the time. Now they tried to get ready as fast as they could, Yukino throwing caution to the winds and jumping into the shower with Haruka--which was much less fun than one might imagine. Today, all it meant for them was a case of bumped heads and a few elbow jabs as they scrambled around one another. They staggered out of the bathroom, Haruka almost slipping and breaking her neck in the process. They dressed quickly, Haruka hurling out a sentence here and there when she had the chance.

"Okay, we missed the morning conference. We didn't get the chance to find out if they discovered the identity of whoever owned that notebook. We can go find that out during lunch, though, and I'm sure I can find out anything we missed from Fujino this afternoon. This is _not _a problem, just a little mistake. Right, Yukino?"

"Of course, Haruka-chan. Just a little... unexpected time off, happens to everybody."

"Right, right. Well, I'll see you at lunch, then." Yukino was startled to see that Haruka was already dressed and had her things ready to go... to all appearances, at any rate. When Haruka rushed over to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek--seemed she was indeed trying to make a habit of that cheek-kissing nonsense--Yukino made sure with a discreet pass of her hand that Haruka was wearing the appropriate undergarments. Purely for Haruka's sake, of course to make sure she was not forgetting anything, though Yukino definitely enjoyed seeing Haruka yelp as she did so. Then Yukino firmly kissed her on the lips, hoping to encourage Haruka that _this _was how she wanted their goodbyes to go from now on. From the happy, almost punch-drunk expression that her kiss left Haruka with, she thought she was not going to encounter any complaints. Haruka exited the room with a rather dreamy expression on her face, narrowly avoided a collision with a pair of gossiping girls, yelled at them to watch where they were going, how rude, and hurried off to the class she had beginning at eleven o'clock that she was already several minutes late for. Yukino made her own way out of the room soon after.

Just another morning as the Executive Adjunct, not-so-secretly in love with her partner.

* * *

"You wanted to see me, Fujino-san?"

"Yes, please have a seat." Chie sat, with a casual indifference that Shizuru found refreshing, not many students felt this comfortable when she requested their presence. _Or, at the least, not many can pretend so well_, she thought with a hidden smirk. "Assuming you've already found out--and I'd say you're slipping if you hadn't--I first wanted to get your thoughts on Yukino-san's situation."

"Yeah, I heard. The whole _school _knows about that, Fujino-san. Never thought I'd see that kind of lovey-dovey mess on Suzushiro-san's face. You know, most people think her happy smiles are scarier than her old manic ones."

"Harada-san, you mustn't be so mistrustful of unfamiliar things," Shizuru admonished.

"I suppose, it used to be kinda odd to see that on Kuga-san's face too, you know." There was a pause. "Though I'd appreciate it if you don't tell her I said that."

"I think I can see fit to not have it come up in conversation."

"So how have things been for you with this little change, President? I imagine you got to get in some choice digs on Suzushiro-san, after the way she's acted about you and Kuga-san."

"I am human, so I can admit I _thought _of such things, but alas, I never did say anything. From the pensive, guilty looks Suzushiro-san gave me, I thought she was aware enough of the situation. She even thanked me today, and apologized, all stiffness and formality. I could perhaps have understood the apology, for reasons that you have just mentioned, but the gratitude was almost beyond me. I assume, for the moment, that Yukino-san decided to reveal my part in recent events."

"Wait, you think Yukino-chan told her... and she _thanked _you? I don't know, I'm going to believe the thanks was for something else entirely; I can't see Suzushiro-san managing that."

"Whatever belief makes you comfortable. Ah, but there's another matter I wanted to talk to you about, Harada-san."

"Oh?"

A whistling from the adjacent room cut their conversation short as Shizuru went to go prepare tea. She set a steaming cup in front of her guest. Chie took a cautious sip, eyes alighting with pleasure.

"Mmm, this is good, Fujino-san."

"Thank you, I'm glad you enjoy it."

"By the way, where is Kuga-san right now? I thought you two would be enjoying some time together right now, after graduation and all."

"Oh my, something the Most Reliable Source doesn't know?" Shizuru dug with a friendly smile, "She's speaking, at length, with Mr. Sakomizu right now. You were aware of her less than perfect attendance, I assume?"

"Of course."

"Apparently it was glaring enough to cause her to repeat a year."

"Oh, dear. There wasn't anything President Fujino could do?"

"It took me by surprise as well. Can you believe that the first thing I thought of was to hold off my own graduation to attend with her once more?"

"Ha! That seems a little drastic. I guess you cooled off on that?"

"Yes, but prepare for another shock: it was mostly due to the intervention of Suzushiro-san that I changed my mind. She did her best to convince me to graduate out of duty to the school and students, of course, but what really did it was when she went out of her way to bully Sakomizu-san to modify certain school rules, in order to allow Natsuki's graduation."

"Will wonders never cease! But I suppose that our Director wouldn't want to get an unfair advantage over you at the University."

"My thoughts exactly, Harada-san. I can scarcely believe that I didn't try something similar before Suzushiro-san stepped in, I must not have been in my right mind."

"It happens to everybody now and again, Fujino-san, though I am still somehow surprised to see it happen to you."

"We all have our flaws, but I believe that Natsuki is a lovely flaw for me to have."

"Kuga-san is a flaw?"

"Don't take things so literally, Harada-san. Ah, but as long as we're keeping track of things to not mention to Natsuki..."

"I understand."

"So then, it looks like I shall just have to notify my household that I will, regretfully of course, have to remain at the campus over the summer holidays. It is still my duty to this fine academy to help all its students succeed, and Natsuki is going to need a tutor if she's going to pass the cram course and final exam to pass."

"I feel your pain, Fujino-san, but I know you can make it."

"Speaking of which, I wanted to know how _you _managed to make it. Out of trouble, that is. You heard about the misfortune of young Takeda-san?"

Chie started laughing, and Shizuru patiently waited for her to finish.

"However did you avoid blame for that?"

"Oh, it wasn't that hard, President. You know most of it already. I threw attention off myself by using an extra-large pair of shoes and sneaking a club key. Then all I had to do to implicate Takeda-kun was avoid his nameplate, and I nabbed one of his notebooks--you wouldn't believe some of the terrible doodles he has in there--for study and made my modest graffiti in his styling. I didn't even think they would check such a thing, but I went with my instincts there."

"You certainly are being candid, Harada-san."

"If you wanted me to be punished for this, Fujino-san, you already know I did it, and you wouldn't necessarily feel the need to go through proper school channels to make anything happen."

"True," Shizuru said with a shamelessness equal to Harada's explanation. "But, further, why did you choose Takeda? Wouldn't it have been a better idea to choose a member that was not so openly supportive of the sport as he?"

"It worked, didn't it?" Chie said with a grin, "But really, you're right. It _might _have been better to do that, but with his involvement--even completely innocent involvement--in the lingerie thefts at the beginning of the year, Suzushiro-san already had him marked as a delinquent. I didn't think it would be hard to convince her to leave a little logic on the wayside when going after him."

"You truly wagered so much on a small bias from Suzushiro-san?"

"I also got the subtle impression that _you_ wouldn't worry too much about picky little details either; Takeda-kun has a not-insignificant amount of unflattering history in your book as well."

"Oh my, am I truly so transparent?"

"Clear as this tea," Chie replied, lifting her cup of moderately milked black tea. She had smirked at the disapproving look she had earned from Shizuru earlier, for milking and sweetening her tea, but she could not resist poking at the President a little bit, like a tourist poking a caged tiger, "So what ended up happening to Takeda-kun anyway? He looked just awful at the graduation ceremony."

Shizuru's eyes actually looked mildly sympathetic. "He'd just gotten to leave the church, poor thing, though it was only a temporary leave to attend graduation. He's going to be at the church for quite some time."

"Yuuki-san seems to be enjoying it, I _wondered_ why she looked so satisfied recently. I thought she might have found spiritual joy in religion. That might have been a bit much to hope for, admittedly."

"It appears as though god has a use for all his creations, even Yuuki-san." Shizuru said solemnly, with a merry twinkle in her eyes. Chie laughed, and Shizuru sipped her tea before continuing.

"In all, I would say that such cleverness as yours surely warrants a pardon from any wrongdoing; it would be a shame to discourage creativity among the students."

"I'm happy to have your appreciation, Miss President. Now then, unless there was anything else, I really do have to be running. Unlike Kuga-san, Aoi isn't doing anything particularly important right now, and what's more, she's doing nothing important alone. I would rather like to be doing nothing important with her."

"Of course. It was very nice chatting with you, Harada-san, perhaps we can do it again some time."

"Sounds great."


End file.
